Fat. Bear. Week.

September 28, 2023 12:51 PM

It is time for the 2023 Fat Bear Week, the annual clash of tubby titans in Alaska's Katmai National Park, to see whose ursine heft reigns supreme. This year's Fat Bear Week kicks off with the Fat Bear Junior contest, whose winner gets to join the main bracket.

What is Fat Bear Week?

Fat Bear Week is an annual contest run by the National Park Service, and in particular the NPS staff at Katmai National Park in Alaska, where they have a large population of bears, whom the park rangers stream eating fish throughout the summer as they build their bulk. The goal is to determine which bear has packed on the most poundage in preparation for hibernation - and to educate the public on the lives of bears in Katmai, and the role they play in the ecosystem.

Who are the competitors?

There are a number of regulars that have appeared in previous Fat Bear Weeks and the Bear Cam, and who have become fan favorites. Notable past champions include inaugural champion 410 Otis, 409 Beadnose, fan favorite 435 Holly, and the fittingly numbered 747.

Okay, I want to participate!
Currently, the Fat Bear Junior competition among cubs is on-going, with the winner getting to compete in the main bracket. If you want to pick the heftiest cub, you can here, during September 28th and 29th. The main 2023 Fat Bear Week competition is on October 4-11, and both events are single elimination tournaments.

posted by NoxAeternum (23 comments total)

Reminder you are allowed to be subjective if you want:

"Many factors lead to success in brown bears. Consider the tremendous growth spurts experienced by younger bears, for example. Cubs and subadult (teenage) bears grow proportionally more each year than even the biggest adults. Or, maybe you want to weigh your vote toward bears with extenuating circumstances. Mother bears must feed themselves and their cubs so the family can survive winter. An older bear can have difficulty finding access to its preferred fishing spots due to competition with larger and younger bears. You can also vote for the bear you think is the simply the largest and fattest. In short, Fat Bear Week is a subjective competition."
posted by justkevin at 1:04 PM on September 28, 2023

Don't forget this story: They logged on to watch the famous fat brown bears. They saved a hiker's life instead
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:14 PM on September 28, 2023 [10 favorites]

Fat Bear Junior oh my
posted by supermedusa at 1:17 PM on September 28, 2023

Aw yiss. I run a bracket for my friends. No stakes, just for the fun of seeing fat bears.

I'm not scoring Fat Bear Jr in that friend group, but I've made my picks known: 909 Junior and 806 will go through to tomorrow, and 909Jr will take the Junior belt and go up against the big dogsbears.
posted by solotoro at 1:35 PM on September 28, 2023

This is not to be confused with Bear Week in Provincetown or Fire Island

Always remember, for some of us it's Fat Bear Week every week. roar
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 1:48 PM on September 28, 2023 [6 favorites]

Oh sure, they put on weight and they get praised. I get fat and I'm called a lazy slob and told "get off your butt" :)
posted by drewbage1847 at 1:54 PM on September 28, 2023 [4 favorites]

How can something that so clearly needs hugs and love, be so, so very dangerous?
posted by mittens at 1:55 PM on September 28, 2023 [5 favorites]

Hopefully my man 480 Otis is still kicking.
posted by maxwelton at 2:00 PM on September 28, 2023 [4 favorites]

FAT DOG FOR MIDTERMS

It’s not made up!
posted by Servo5678 at 2:13 PM on September 28, 2023 [1 favorite]

How can something that so clearly needs hugs and love, be so, so very dangerous?

Or, as Matt from WeRateDogs put it, "if not friend, why friend-shaped? if dangerous, why tiny ears? hm?"
posted by praemunire at 2:18 PM on September 28, 2023 [16 favorites]

How can something that so clearly needs hugs and love, be so, so very dangerous?

Or, as Matt from WeRateDogs put it, "if not friend, why friend-shaped? if dangerous, why tiny ears? hm?"

I'm hoping this was the exact conversation when our ancient ancestors domesticated wolves.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 3:06 PM on September 28, 2023 [9 favorites]

Ho-lly!! Ho-lly!! Ho-lly!!!

(But also yes Otis.)
posted by kitten kaboodle at 4:01 PM on September 28, 2023 [4 favorites]

"The Natl Park Service's social media outreach teams are considered nonessential -- if the government shutdown lasts more than a week, then no Fat Bear Week."

Yet another reason Republicans should be fed to bears.
posted by riotnrrd at 4:15 PM on September 28, 2023 [15 favorites]

So when they came out of hibernation was it Skinny Twink Week?
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 4:30 PM on September 28, 2023

You may be mistaking it for the slim hairy midwinter drinking party known as Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas.
posted by bartleby at 10:22 PM on September 28, 2023 [5 favorites]

Hopefully this year there won't be a cheating scandal!

Fat Bear Week is seriously my favorite holiday.

Also: don't forget to check out the live action! My favorite cam is Brooks Falls.

I am a SUCKER for bears omg it's a good thing I don't live near any because squeeeeee danger floof
posted by rabbitrabbit at 6:55 AM on September 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

I'm here for Holly and Otis!
posted by TwoStride at 8:27 AM on September 29, 2023

"Holly, who is blissfully unaware of this or any other election..." Heh.
posted by praemunire at 1:51 PM on September 29, 2023 [3 favorites]

The Washington Post has a rundown of this year's contending bears.
posted by NoxAeternum at 8:15 AM on October 3, 2023

Otis is still alive, turned up basically skin and bones but he fattened up. Summarily dismissed by the voters seems like elder abuse, humph. He's 30 years old (or near to it)!
posted by maxwelton at 12:37 PM on October 9, 2023

And your 2023 Fat Bear Week champion is...128 Grazer!
posted by NoxAeternum at 7:21 AM on October 11, 2023 [2 favorites]

She is indeed, in internet terms, an absolute chonk. Congrats to all the fat bears everywhere.

And hippybear, here in CA we do Lazy Bear Week
posted by gingerbeer at 12:32 PM on October 11, 2023

I was a bit heartbroken by the low voting for both Holly and Otis, but Grazer is a gorgeous, absolute unit of a bear so it all comes out okay in the end.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 12:36 PM on October 11, 2023