Chunk Returns to Defend His Fat Bear Week Crown in 2026, Featuring 16 Contenders
TL;DR Summary
Fat Bear Week 2026 at Katmai National Park in Alaska features 16 contenders, including defending champion Chunk. From Sept. 22–29, fans vote daily online to decide the winner, with Explore.org livestreams showing bears at Brooks Falls; park officials note the bears have reached peak fat after a salmon-rich summer and that a growing cub population is shaping the competition.
- Fat Bear Week 2026 is here: Meet Chunk, Bucky and other contenders CBS News
- Alaska's salmon-feasting bears face off in biggest Fat Bear Week ever NPR
- Meet the bears competing to be the 2026 Fat Bear Week champion in Alaska national park FOX Weather
- It’s Fat Bear Week. Meet this year’s heavyset hopefuls Alaska Public Media
- The Fat Bear Week 2026 bracket is here and chunkier than ever Popular Science
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