Tag: Fat Bear Week

As Fat Bear Week nears, Chunk shows why this could be his year

Footage shows the massive brown bear struggling “to haul his large caboose up a hill” as fans get ready to vote for their favorite bruins.

In case anyone wonders if the brown bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park are ready for Fat Bear Week, check out the footage posted below.

It shows 32 Chunk, arguably the fattest bear never to have been named Fat Bear Week champion, struggling “to haul his large caboose up a hill,” according to Explore.org.

Explore.org, with support from Katmai National Park, maintains live webcams on the Brooks River and at Brooks Falls.

Viewers can watch the bears gorging on salmon each summer and fall as they build fat reserves necessary to get them through the winter hibernation season. (Click here if you don’t see a video player.)

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_5nX1wpz99/

Fat Bear Week, a celebration of the bears’ fishing success, is a fan-supported competition head each October. This year’s contest is Oct. 2-8.

While Chunk has never been voted winner of the bracket-style competition, he finished runner-up last year to Grazer.

Grazer, a 19-year-old female bear with “conspicuously blond ears,” was the obvious fan favorite, defeating Chunk in the final bracket by a 2-1 margin after nearly 1.3 million votes were cast.

Expect the hype for this year’s competition to ramp up soon.

Famous brown bear ‘Chunk’ given the slip during courtship attempt

Footage shows the female bear taking an extreme measure to avoid contact with the larger bear at Brooks Falls in Alaska.

A bear-cam in Alaska’s Katmai National Park on Monday captured an amusing scene involving a brown bear named Chunk putting the moves on a female bear.

But it turned out that the female bear, apparently not wanting anything to do with Chunk, had the slickest move.

Stated Explore.org, which shared the accompanying footage: “When you’d rather fall down a waterfall than be courted by Chunk.”

The footage showing the bear giving Chunk the slip – intentionally or otherwise – has garnered several responses pertaining to Chunk.

“Chunk is kind of like Leisure Suit Larry – the ladies want no part of him,” reads a top comment on Explore’s Instagram post.

A comment on Twitter: “Poor Chunk, he’s truly lovable really.”

The footage was captured at Brooks Falls, where the most dominant bears in Katmai National Park are foraging on salmon and competing for prime fishing spots.

Chunk, a large adult with numerous facial scars, is a fixture at Brooks Falls and a perennial Fat Bear Week candidate.

Fat Bear Week, conducted annually each October, is a bracket-style, fan-driven competition that celebrates the bears’ success in fattening up sufficiently to survive during hibernation.

Chunk, however, has never been named Fat Bear Week Champion.

Some might say it’s not easy being Chunk.

Meet the winner (and losers) of Fat Bear Week 2023

They’re all winners in our hearts.

Another wonderful week of giant and adorable brown bears has come to an end. As of 9 p.m. EST on October 10, Fat Bear Week 2023 crowned its final winner. Twelve fuzzy ursine competitors entered the competition, but only 128 Grazer earned the title of 2023’s fattest bear. Grazer went head-to-head with 32 Chunk in the Fat Bear Week bracket’s final round. Final poll results showed a landslide victory for 128 Grazer, who earned 108,321 votes to 32 Chunk’s 23,134 votes.

While the polls may be closed, that doesn’t mean we have to stop appreciating these lovably rotund animals. Keep the fire of Fat Bear Week alive by learning about this year’s competitors in the gallery below.

Here are the answers to all your Fat Bear Week questions

Get all the details.

Fat Bear Week returns! Once again, wildlife enthusiasts are turning their attention to the brown bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve. This battle of the biggest invites people from all over the world to cast their vote for the fattest bear. With the Fat Bear Junior competition over and 806 Spring Cub reigning supreme, Katmai’s adult bears are ready for their turn in the limelight.

Last year, the competition experienced a minor ballot-stuffing scandal. Thankfully, Katmai easily resolved the incident and announced bear 747 as the 2022 Fat Bear Week champion. Voting for Fat Bear Week 2023 has already begun, and a winner should be crowned after polls close on October 10. While you wait to discover the fate of your favorite bear, bone up on bear trivia with these answers to common Fat Bear Week questions.

A before and after of a bear named 128 Grazer.
Fat Bear Week competitor 128 Grazer’s before and after photos. / Image courtesy of Katmai National Park and Preserve

Why do people vote for the fattest bear?

Because it’s very fun and delightful. This lighthearted competition began in 2014 when rangers from Katmai National Park and Preserve celebrated “Fat Bear Tuesday” on the park’s Facebook page. The following year, Katmai capitalized on the social media momentum with the first official Fat Bear Week competition. The bracket helps the park engage with followers online while raising awareness and money for the Katmai Conservancy’s Otis Fund.

Who hosts Fat Bear Week?

Katmai National Park and Preserve’s rangers team up with the Katmai Conservancy and explore.org to host Fat Bear Week. If you can’t get enough of Katmai’s cute bears, explore.org offers a livestream of Katmai’s Brooks Falls, where brown bears are often spotted. On October 10, explore.org’s resident naturalist Mike Fitz and Katmai rangers will join the livestream to discuss the 2023 Fat Bear Week winners.

Why are the bears getting fat?

As you can probably guess, these bears are fattening up for hibernation. But what does that mean exactly? The Fat Bear Week homepage explains, “During hibernation, bears do not eat or drink and can lose one-third of their body weight. Their winter survival depends on accumulating ample fat reserves before entering the den. To get fat, bears gorge on the richest and most accessible foods they can find.”

What do the bears eat?

Food is important for bears looking to bulk up before winter. At Katmai National Park and Preserve, brown bears mainly eat salmon. This means that the survival of these bears heavily depends on a healthy local salmon population. To protect brown bears, the Katmai Conservancy also works to protect salmon.

Where can I vote for Fat Bear Week?

You can cast your vote here, on explore.org’s Fat Bear Week hub. Voting closes tomorrow at 9 p.m. EST, so move fast to support your favorite bear. Keep up with the competition through updates on Katmai’s social media channels.

A before and after of a bear named 32 Chunk.
Fat Bear Week competitor 32 Chunk’s before and after photos. / Image courtesy of Katmai National Park and Preserve

Say hello to the cubs competing in Fat Bear Junior 2023

Meet the cubs!

You’ve been waiting for it all year, and now it finally arrives. That’s right, Fat Bear Week is upon us once again. Or at least the Fat Bear Junior competition is.

With a government shutdown threatening to cancel Fat Bear Week 2023, the Fat Bear Junior competition may be our only chance to celebrate giant, fuzzy animals. So, why not revel in the fun? For those who aren’t in the know, the Fat Bear Junior competition gives wildlife enthusiasts a chance to vote on which bear cubs have bulked up the most for winter. Fat Bear Week is a similar competition but for adult bears.

Fat Bear Junior’s final round of voting ends today. Current polls show 806 Spring Cub in the lead with over 17,000 votes compared to competitor 910 Yearling’s roughly 10,000 votes. While you wait for the official winner to be announced, get to know this year’s competitors!

Famous bruin ‘Shower Bear’ reveals distinctive fishing method

Footage captured this week on Alaska’s Brooks River shows why a famous brown bear has earned the nickname “Shower Bear.”

Fans of the Exlore.org Bear Cams that feature brown bears feeding in Alaska’s Brooks River are celebrating the return of Bear 164, aka Bucky Dent or Shower Bear.

The accompanying footage shows the adult male bear’s distinctive fishing method, which involves standing under the lip of Brooks Falls with his head submerged and watching for migrating salmon falling backward after failing to leap over the lip.

“Bear 164 – Shower Bear also known as Bucky Dent has returned to Brooks!” Explore.org. announced Thursday via social media.

Brooks River, in Katmai National Park, is home to the stars of Fat Bear Week, a fan-driven competition conducted each fall to celebrate the bears’ success in fattening up in advance of the winter hibernation season.

Bear 164 is nicknamed Bucky Dent – after the former Major League Baseball star – because of the dark, vertical indentation on his upper snout, or muzzle.

It’s not clear if he’s shown catching a fish in the accompanying clip, because he’s mostly submerged, but he apparently was successful Wednesday night.

Reads one comment: “His technique pays off for sure! Was cracking up last night when he was catching them back to back.”

Watch: Momma bear to rescue after cub tumbles down waterfall

A live web-cam has captured dramatic footage showing a brown bear rushing to rescue her yearling cub after it tumbled over a waterfall in Alaska.

A live web-cam has captured dramatic footage showing a brown bear rushing to rescue her yearling cub after it tumbled over a waterfall in Alaska.

The footage, captured by Explore.org’s Bear Cam at Brooks Falls, shows the cub slip past mom at the top of the falls.

The footage continues with mom realizing that her cub was being swept downstream and charging across the water to end threats posed by nearby bears.

Comments beneath the post mostly pertained to the speed with which momma bear was able to reach her cub.

“For anyone who ever foolishly through they could outrun a bear…yeah…no,” one comment reads.

RELATED: Massive relief as ‘King Otis’ the brown bear is alive and well

Another: “Poor mom looks really stressed out from this one. All that huffing. And the way she keeps looking at the bear who just happened to be closest.”

Mom is cataloged as Bear 402. She’s one of dozens of brown bears that spend the summer feeding in the Brooks River in Katmai National Park.

Brooks Falls is one of the prime fishing spots and dominant bears position themselves atop or just below the falls to catch migrating sockeye salmon.

Explore.org has live-feed cameras positioned on the river so the public can watch the bears feed and interact.

Brown bears in Katmai National Park are among the largest bears on the planet, with some exceeding 1,000 pounds by season’s end. (Larger bears might eat as many as 40 salmon per day.)

The bears are the stars of Fat Bear Week, a fan-driven competition conducted each fall to determine which bear took the fullest advantage of feeding season.

The reigning champion is Bear 747, aka Bear Force One.

Massive relief as ‘King Otis’ the brown bear is alive and well

Fans of the world-famous brown bears on Alaska’s Brooks River are breathing a sigh of relief as their beloved Otis is alive and seemingly well.

Fans of the world-famous brown bears on Alaska’s Brooks River are breathing a sigh of relief as their beloved Otis is alive and seemingly well.

“REJOICE!! KING OTIS HAS RETURNED!” Explore.org, which maintains live camera feeds on the river, exclaimed Wednesday after Otis appeared on camera for the first time since last fall.

Otis is an older bear and arguably the most famous brown bear on the planet, a four-time Fat Bear Week champion, known for his fishing exploits at his favorite spot, “the office” at Brooks Falls.

Because of his age – late 20s, well past normal longevity – and his tardiness this summer, fans had become concerned about his well-being.

But on Wednesday, Otis, looking a bit scraggly after what appears to have been a marathon hibernation, was spotted fishing (and catching) as though it were just another day.

ALSO: Catch of giant tarpon off Florida sparks controversy

“My kind of bear… sleeps late, keeps everyone guessing, makes a grand entrance,” reads a comment beneath a Katmai National Park – Brooks Falls Facebook post.

The Brooks River is in Katmai National Park. Brown bears arrive on the river when sockeye salmon begin running upstream in late June.

Most of the popular bruins, including reigning Fat Bear Week champion Bear 747, aka Bear Force One, have been spotted routinely during the past several weeks.

Some have new cubs, born during hibernation. Larger bears have battled over fishing rights. Bear antics have been showcased daily on camera feeds watched by thousands.

But for many, thoughts were on Otis. Was this going to be the year he did not make it back to the river? Would he be seen again?

Now Otis aficionados are already taking about his chances of claiming a fifth Fat Bear Week title.

“He looked worse two years ago and won fat bear,” one commenter correctly observed.

Stated another: “Since he’s very old, just the fact he’s back is fantastic! Give him time. He’s a zen master when fishing. Expending as little energy possible and reaping the benefits.”

Fat Bear Week, a fan-driven competition held each October, is billed as a celebration of the bears’ success in fattening up in preparation for another long, harsh winter.

Brooks River brown bears break out all the moves to catch salmon

With the fishing season underway for brown bears on Alaska’s Brooks River, the National Park Service has provided a humorous description of the catching techniques.

An Alaskan brown bear named Grazer was caught on a live-cam feed recently catching a salmon that had attempted to leap over the lip of Brooks Falls.

“The crowd goes wild! Grazer lands the very first Brooks Falls lip catch of the season,” Explore.org stated via Twitter.

To be sure, bears on the Brooks River in Katmai National Park are masters at fishing, and each seems to favor certain areas and techniques.

With the season getting underway – fans can watch the bears on Explore’s live feeds – the National Park Service has described the techniques via Facebook under the heading:

“How do you catch a fish without a fishing pole? With your bear hands.”

Viewers can click on the post or view the humorous explanations below:

–The Stand and Wait: Bears stand on top the falls and wait for salmon to jump close enough to catch. Bears sometimes slip on the falls (usually when someone is looking) so they rarely shift position.⁣ Sometimes they misjudge and the fish hits the bear in the face. (Insert own metaphor for life).

–The Sit and Wait: Similar to the first one but sitting. Bears sit underneath Brooks Falls in the plunge pool or “jacuzzi,” and wait for salmon to swim to them.”

RELATED: ‘Dominant’ brown bears brawl over fishing rights at Brooks Falls

–The Dash and Grab: Bears chase the fish and attempt to pin them to the river bottom with their paws. ⁣⁣Fast-food on the go!
⁣⁣⁣
–The Snorkeler: Bears look for fish under the water while seeing who can make the most bubbles. ⁣⁣⁣
⁣
–The Diver: Some bears avoid getting their ears wet, so diving is not for every bear. However there are some that will submerge themselves completely underwater to obtain food resources. You do what you got to do. ⁣
⁣⁣⁣
–The Pirate: Arrgggg! It’s Cap’n Bruin Brownbeard the Hungry! Pirating bears plunder already caught fish from other bears. ⁣Keep an eye on the horizon. Avast ye scurvy bear! I’ve come for the fishes!
⁣⁣⁣
–The Sharer: Bears do not usually share food with others (bearing is NOT sharing), but some will share the spoils. (Not the Cap’n) This interaction occurs between bears that are highly tolerant of each other. ⁣BFFs (bear fish friends!)

– The Belly Flop: A big splash requires big bear air, as the bear springs up out of the water or launches off the side to take a fish by surprise. This can be extremely successful or, well, a flop.”

The top image, highlighting the belly flop, was captured by M. Bradburn for the National Park Service.

‘Dominant’ brown bears brawl over fishing rights at Brooks Falls

Brown bears Walker and Bear 856 were caught on video brawling for fishing rights near Brooks Falls in Alaska’s Katmai National Park.

Brown bears in Alaska’s Katmai National Park have arrived on the Brooks River and early season competition for prime feeding areas can be contentious.

The accompanying footage shows adult males Walker and Bear 856 sparring briefly before pausing in a skirmish seemingly won by the larger Bear 856.

Explore.org, which maintains cameras on the Brooks River, stated Sunday via Twitter:

“Brooks Falls heated up last night as two dominant forces went head to head. No serious injuries reported.”

Brown bears at Brooks Falls are famous because of live-cam feeds that allow followers to observe the animals as they fish for sockeye salmon and pack thousands of calories per day.

(Bears that weigh between 700 and 900 pounds in mid-summer can weigh more than 1,200 pounds by early fall.)

Fat Bear Week, held in October, allows fans to vote for their favorite bears in a bracket-style competition. Last year’s winner was Bear 747, a.k.a. Bear Force One, who weighed an estimated 1,400 pounds.

As for Walker, Explore states on its website:

“Walker remained a tolerant and playful bear during his young adult years. He allowed other bears to approach him, and he sought sparring partners for prolonged play fights. However, his priorities have changed as he matured into a fully grown adult.

“With his large body size and assertive disposition, Walker is one the river’s most dominant bears.”

Some background on Bear 856:

“Bear 856 was classified as a young adult in 2006. At the time he had a relatively small body compared to older adults. By his tenth or eleventh year of life, however, he became one of the biggest bears at the river with an assertive disposition equal to his size.”

Fat Bear Week is billed as “a celebration of success” for all of the region’s bears after another bountiful feeding season.