The public is voting in daily matchups to advance brown bears in Katmai National Park and Reserve’s Fat Bear Week, a single-elimination contest running Sept. 22–29 in Alaska; organizers will crown the 2026 champion on Sept. 29.
Katmai superintendent Mark Sturm said Brooks Camp has more cubs this year than it has seen in a long time, describing a new generation of bears as off to a strong start. Bears build weight before winter hibernation, and those reserves are key to survival.
Last year, the competition drew more than 1.7 million votes from over 100 countries, according to a press release. Chunk won, with the website citing the bear’s size and recovery from a fractured jaw. The park says ranger Mike Fitz started the event in 2014 after a fan posted side-by-side June and September photos of a bear; it expanded from a one-day contest to a weeklong tournament the following year.
