THE ALASKA STORY
Sept. 20, 2026 – At Brooks River in Katmai National Park, a round belly and fat butt is a sign of a summer well spent. The brown bears have been catching salmon and putting on the fat they need to zone out all winter. Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22, the public gets to decide which of them best represents that success.
Fat Bear Week, the annual online tournament, runs through Sept. 29. Bears face off in a single-elimination bracket, with the winner of each matchup advancing until one is crowned champion. Voters are invited to judge more than sheer size: A mother raising cubs, a young bear learning to fish and an older bear holding onto a productive spot at the falls all face different challenges.
The stakes for the bears are not a game. Katmai’s brown bears build their fat reserves through late summer and fall, often by feeding on salmon at Brooks River. While Alaskans typically pack on a few pounds over the winter, the bears don’t eat or drink while in their state of torpor, and they can lose about a third of their body weight before spring.
Yes, my friends, it is that time of year: the leaves begin to change colors, the temperature cools, and the time-honored tradition of rooting for your favorite chonky bears at Katmai National Park & Preserve begins.
Fat Bear Week starts Tuesday: https://t.co/hHhBXv3T0L pic.twitter.com/ISSNe50nGT
— U.S. Department of the Interior (@Interior) September 19, 2026
This year’s field includes defending champion 32 Chunk, whose scarred muzzle and broken jaw made his recovery a story for bear-cam viewers last year. He spent little time at Brooks River this summer before returning in September with a conspicuously full belly. Other contenders include 89 Backpack, named for the way he rode on his mother’s back while swimming as a cub, and 428 Studious, a daughter of former champion Grazer who learned to fish at the lip of Brooks Falls. Meet the full field here.
Five bear families are in the competition, reflecting an unusually busy summer at the river: Organizers counted 19 families and 37 cubs there in 2026. Among the entrants is bear 806, who is raising her own spring cub alongside an older cub she adopted.
Voting is open 8 am to 5 pm Alaska time on matchup days from Sept. 22 through Sept. 29. The published schedule lists no voting on Saturday, Sept. 26, or Sunday, Sept. 27; the final is Tuesday, Sept. 29. Voters can fill out a bracket before the first round.
To cast a vote, visit explore.org/fat-bear-week, select a bear’s photo in the active matchup and enter an email address when prompted. The poll allows one vote per email for each matchup. Vote totals appear after a successful submission.
For anyone who wants to scout the contenders first, the Brooks Falls bear cam offers a live look at the Alaska river where the bears have been doing the work that earned them a place in the bracket.
