Fat Bear Week 2024: How to Vote and Celebrate the Alaskan Bears Prepping for Hibernation!
Discover the importance of brown bears gaining weight for hibernation and cast your vote!
In cooler months, many of us love to curl up and get cozy with our favorite comfort foods. For brown bears — also known as grizzly bears — that’s what autumn is all about! These massive mammals start prepping for their hibernation by eating…a lot. To mark this annual bear habit, an online contest is held to applaud the bears for unashamedly sporting a fuller figure as winter approaches. Keep reading to learn more about Fat Bear Week 2024 and how to vote for your favorite bear!
What is Fat Bear Week?
In 2014, the Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska kicked off the inaugural Fat Bear Week. This fun competition, organized by the National Park Service and Explore.org, focuses on the brown bears that call the park home. But rather than deciding which of these furry animals is the cutest, people are asked to make their pick based on the bear’s size.
The single elimination tournament means that only one bear (the one with the most votes) advances to the next round. At the end, the Fat Bear champion is crowned!
Why is Fat Bear Week held?
In the world of bears, putting on extra winter weight is not only celebrated — it’s necessary! The majority of brown bears hibernate in dens in the colder months to avoid frigid temperatures and conserve energy, especially since food is scarce. Hibernation for Alaskan brown bears can last anywhere from five to eight months, according to the National Park Service.
In order to prepare for this long-term snooze, the bears have to eat as much as they possibly can. The Alaskan bears (the largest of the species) require a lot of calories to meet their needs. They can eat a whopping 80 to 90 pounds of food a day leading up to hibernation, and they will devour almost anything, from fish and deer to herbs and berries.
These impressive eating habits mean the bears generally gain three to six pounds of fat each day. Stored fat is essential for energy in winter, when the bear enters deep hibernation. In other words, the fatter the bear is by hibernation, the better!
How voting works
Ready to choose your pick for the fattest bear? Voting will open on the contest website on October 2 and continue through October 8. You can hop online at any time between 12 p.m. – 9 p.m. EST to cast your vote for the day.
Each day there will be two match-ups featuring four different bears. The winner will advance to the next round to compete against another Alaskan brown bear.
Once you click or tap on the photos featuring your favorite bear, you will be prompted to enter your email address to officially cast your vote. (According to contest rules, they only allow one vote per email!)
Though the contest is obviously subjective, it’s encouraged to vote for who “you believe best exemplifies fatness and success in brown bears.” Then at the end of the competition, you can see if other voters agreed with your picks!
Anxious to get voting? Consider partaking in choosing the winner of “Fat Bear Junior” contest for 2024, which takes place September 26-27. This features four young brown bear cubs who are getting a taste of what it means to bulk up for hibernation.
(Voting means a chance to admire these bears from afar! Learn what you should do if you encounter one in person).
Who are the bears of Fat Bear Week?
This year’s adult brown bear competitors will be revealed on September 30, so stay tuned for an update. In the meantime, here’s a little more about some of the 2023 fat bears:
Brown bear 32 Chunk is recognizable thanks to his narrow set eyes and prominent scar on his muzzle. Although he’s reportedly always been on the heavier side, last year he was able to proudly display a round belly in the months leading up to hibernation.
Female bear 128 Grazer stands out thanks to her light fur and bright blonde ears. While males are generally larger than their female counterparts, she gives them a run for their money in the contest, as she is considered one of the fattest bears in the park.
Another female bear that stood out among the competitors was “435 Holly.” She too usually manages to proudly pack on the pounds through fall. Holly’s bio also notes that, “Her appearance somewhat resembles the shape and color of a lightly toasted marshmallow.”
Learn more about the previously featured competitors on the contest page. We can’t wait to see the line-up for 2024!
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