How Are the Fat Bears Faring After Fat Bear Week?

ALASKA—In the weeks following the conclusion of Katmai National Park’s annual Fat Bear Week competition, the participating bears have been celebrating after the week’s heated festivities. For many of the bears, it’s a time to rest and relax for hibernation while also taking notes in preparation for next year’s competition.

Brown bears, along with black bears, need to hibernate through the winter to survive the tough food shortages during that time. The summer and fall seasons are prime time for these bears to put on the fat stores they need to make it through winter, as most bears, except for pregnant mothers, will not be active for most of the winter and need to burn fat to live. For bears, getting fat is a need of survival, yet for the bears of Katmai National Park, it has become an even greater thing.

For many years now, the bears of the park have been observed to treat the winner of Fat Bear Week with abnormal behavior. The winner of Fat Bear Week has frequently been observed by the park rangers as well as the trail cams to be revered like a god by the other bears. For example, many bears will give up the last of the available sockeye salmon, the most abundant food source for bears in the park, to the fattest bear, in addition to displaying changes in their hierarchy in response to the contest. 

This year’s winner, 32 Chunk, has been recorded standing under a waterfall while having the other bears throw salmon into his broken jaw as offerings. While already considered a top bear, the contest’s results have seemed to boost his standing even further.

“Theths bearths hath rethpecthed me asth an altha male dule thu my thize, thure, but now, finally, beconning the Fatthest Bear of Them All hath githven me the thrue admirathion I’th altheaysth deserthved,” said 32 Chunk, who won the 11th annual contest despite getting into a fight with another bear and receiving a jaw injury that never properly healed, leaving him with a permanently disfigured mouth. “I hath spenth thoo many yearths, thoo many, coming in thecond plaeth. I needend to thow thesth bearths my thrue glothy.” 

32 Chunk, a bear that has competed since the first year, making it to the finals on several occasions, has never won before this year, which makes this year’s win much more monumental.

“I mean, we knew he was a tough contender, but I didn’t think he’d finally pull through this year! I thought that mouth injury was the final nail in the coffin for that washed-up fishface,” said Chunk’s rival and second-place finisher, Bear 856. Formerly the most dominant bear in the park before 32 Chunk, 856 has competed for a while, also having never secured a win. 

“Seriously, I think it’s pity votes. Who cares about his broken jaw anyway? Let’s focus on the facts, and that it is weight that matters most.” 856 claimed, before angrily throwing his freshly caught salmon into the large pile in front of 32 Chunk.

Yet, according to the contest rules, the bears can be judged on criteria ranging from best story to embodying the nature of Fat Bear Week, so 32 Chunk’s win has yet to be officially contested by any bitter bears.

“I was hoping for a threepeat, but it looks like Chunk has finally made it big, literally. Alas,” said former winner 128 Grazer, who was eliminated in this year’s semifinal round. Grazer, the champion for the 2023 and 2024 Fat Bear Weeks, beat 32 Chunk in the finals both years she won. 

In 2024, prior to Fat Bear Week, 32 Chunk wounded one of 128 Grazer’s cubs, affectionately nicknamed Smalls, who later succumbed to his injuries. Her remaining cub from that litter, Biggie, won this year’s Fat Bear Week Junior, a mini competition between the youngest bears of the park for the chance to take part in the main event, and got to the second round of voting in the main Fat Bear Week. 

“I’m just glad Biggie had such a good time in the contest this year. If only my other cub could have taken part,” scoffed 128 Grazer, before half-heartedly joining 32 Chunk’s fanatical worshippers in a conga line around the bear. 

“My mama said that I’m doing a great job at getting fat! She said I was the fattest girl ever! I really like eating salmon together. It’s so fun getting fat!” said 128’s Yearling Cub, a.k.a Biggie, who stumbled to join the conga line with her mother. “I do miss my sister, though.” 

“I think that Chunk finally winning is a sign that we newbies will prevail soon,” claimed Bear 901, a newer addition to the Fat Bear Week lineup, who has yet to win. She was eliminated in the second round of this year’s contest. 

“I’m really sick of this pandering to old favorites. They’ve had their time! I want to be showered with fresh salmon and have the bears dance at my beck and call!” said 901 as she reluctantly dropped to a bow in front of 32 Chunk.

“I don’t know when or how this happened, but if it motivates the bears to get fatter for the winter, then sure, whatever,” said park ranger Sal Monny. “It’s great to see them so lively before they inevitably go honk shoo mimimi for the winter.”

When asked for a comment, the team at Katmai National Park behind the Fat Bear Week contest stated, “We do not reward the bears for their participation in the contest. The level at which they have taken it is beyond our doing. Please help. These bears are becoming self-aware.” In a follow-up to this initial comment, the team responded with, “LONG LIVE THE CHUNK! GRAHHHHH!” 

The Fat Bear Week contest has garnered many fans and enthusiasts for these special bears and has given the Katmai National Park its name much recognition. The contest is likely to continue next year and for many years after, and the current cohort of bears is likely to see future appearances in the bracket. Only time will tell who will prevail as the fattest bear.