Backpack Wins 12th Annual Fat Bear Week in Narrow Final
Brown bear 89, nicknamed 'Backpack,' won the 12th annual Fat Bear Week competition at Alaska’s Katmai National Park. He defeated female bear 910 by a narrow margin of approximately 5,000 votes in a final round that drew over 200,000 ballots. The event, which celebrates bears gaining weight before winter hibernation, saw record participation with more than 2.3 million total votes cast globally.
Key points
- Backpack, a 20-year-old male brown bear, won with over 100,000 votes, narrowly beating runner-up Bear 910.
- The competition featured 16 contenders in a single-elimination bracket, including five mother-cub families for the first time.
- Backpack is the son of former champion Holly and is known for his calm demeanor and a past leg injury.
- The event serves as a conservation fundraiser, highlighting the resilience of the 2,200 brown bears in the park.
- Public participation reached record levels, with over 2.3 million votes cast across all rounds.
Background
Fat Bear Week began in 2014 as an interactive way to educate the public about brown bears in Alaska’s Katmai National Park. The event typically features a knockout tournament where the public votes for the fattest bear based on before-and-after photos. Last year’s winner was Chunk (Bear 32), who weighed an estimated 1,200 pounds. This year’s competition introduced family units to the bracket, reflecting a record number of cubs at the Brooks River.
How outlets are covering it
NBC News emphasizes Backpack’s 'pacifist nature' and his lineage as the son of former champion Holly, noting his quiet strength. The Guardian highlights the narrowness of the victory, specifying a 5,000-vote margin, and notes that the runner-up, Bear 910, is also the daughter of a previous champion. Both sources agree on the record turnout and the conservation significance of the event, but The Guardian adds detail about a past vote-rigging scandal in 2022 that did not deter participation.
Why it matters
The event raises awareness and funds for the conservation of brown bears in Alaska, highlighting their survival strategies and the challenges they face, such as territorialism and food scarcity. The record turnout underscores the public’s growing interest in wildlife conservation and the role of digital platforms in engaging audiences with nature.
What to watch
The bears will now enter winter hibernation, where they will not eat or drink and may lose up to one-third of their body weight. The success of the competition is measured by the bears’ ability to survive the winter, with all participants considered winners for their preparation.
- Gentle giant ‘Backpack’ declared winner of Alaska’s Fat Bear Week NBC News
- Alaska’s Fat Bear Week Winner Is 89 Backpack The New York Times
- Backpack edges past Dancing Queen to win the Fat Bear Week title The Guardian
- Bear 910 vs. Backpack: It's the final showdown for Alaska's Fat Bear Week PBS
- It’s almost time to crown a Fat Bear Week champion: Inside the National Park contest that became an internet obsession. yahoo.com
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