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Fat Bear Week brackets revealed. See contestants
USA Today • • nation
Key Points:
- Fat Bear Week 2026, an annual online competition celebrating the brown bears of Katmai National Park as they reach peak fat before hibernation, will run from Sept. 22-29, with voting paused on the weekend.
- This year's bracket features over 100 bears spotted at Brooks River, narrowed down to finalists including bear families, sub-adults, adult females, and adult males, each with distinctive traits and backgrounds.
- Fans can watch the bears via live cams on explore.org and vote in head-to-head matchups to determine which bear best exemplifies fatness and survival skills for Alaska's winter.
- The event, now in its 12th year, highlights the bears' successful salmon feast and preparation for hibernation, with 2025 champion bear 32 Chunk returning as a notable competitor.
- Fat Bear Week is a collaboration between Katmai National Park and Preserve, explore.org, and Katmai Conservancy, drawing worldwide attention to the bears' natural behaviors and conservation.
