The stars are bigger than ever, but the annual contest is about more than which bear packed on the most pounds before hibernation.

This Fat Bear Week, bear enthusiasts from around the world can not only vote for their favorite chunky brown bears (Ursus arctos). They can actually help protect the bears’ home. Every donation made to the Katmai Conservancy’s Otis Fund through October 3,

A brown bear who once hitched rides on his mother’s back has come a long way since his cub days. Bear 89, better known as Backpack, has been crowned the 2026 Fat Bear Week champion at Alaska’s Katmai

Fat Bear Week is scheduled for Sept. 22-29, with the champion expected to be crowned Sept. 29 after a week of fan voting.

Bear 89 Backpack defeated Bear 910 by just over 5,000 votes in the Fat Bear Week 2026 final at Alaska's Katmai National Park on Brooks River.

Fat Bear Week returns to Katmai National Park on Tuesday, inviting wildlife fans worldwide to vote for the park's chunkiest brown bear.

As Fat Bear Week nears its finale, the competition has boiled down to four finalists, with only one to be declared the winner.

Meet the 2026 winner of Fat Bear Week! The annual tournament celebrates the success of brown bears in preparing for hibernation in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve.

Katmai National Park’s brown bears are doing a lot of eating right now, so much so that the park has dubbed it “Fat Bear Week.” September and early October are some of the best times to see bears

"A fat bear is a successful bear, and Fat Bear Week celebrates the success of these wild, brown bears," Katmai National Park & Preserve said in a social media post over the weekend. According to the park, more than 1.7 million votes were cast from more than 100 countries before Bear 32, nicknamed “Chunk,” was crowned champion.

A Katmai National Park story connecting Alaska bear viewing, Brooks Falls, salmon runs, and the beloved bears millions follow online ANCHORAGE, AK, UNITED STATES ...

Katmai National Park in Alaska reveals a remarkable wildlife scene where four brown bears wade through shallow coastal waters near a dark volcanic shoreline. One large bear moves through the water in the foreground,