Only one will be crowned Fat Bear Week champion
October 2, 2024 7:28 PM Subscribe
Fat Bear Week 2024 The first day of voting for Fat Bear Week closed today with Gully (903) deftly defeating 909, and 909 Jr pulling ahead of 519. Nice going, (not so) little guy!
Previously, more previously. It's voting season, and not just in the US. Take the time to vote for the fattest bear in the world's chubbiest showdown based in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Voting is open daily from 12-9 EDT and 9-6 PST. Plus, you can even make your own bracket!
Previously, more previously. It's voting season, and not just in the US. Take the time to vote for the fattest bear in the world's chubbiest showdown based in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Voting is open daily from 12-9 EDT and 9-6 PST. Plus, you can even make your own bracket!
What the heck! It completely snuck up on me! I thought it was later in October, and I also was counting on the Internet keeping me up to date. But I heard nothing! Nothing at all, until now!
Was it the bear murder? It's that what made this sneak up so unexpectedly?
Seriously, I'm so sad I missed a day.
posted by meese at 8:37 PM on October 2 [1 favorite]
Was it the bear murder? It's that what made this sneak up so unexpectedly?
Seriously, I'm so sad I missed a day.
posted by meese at 8:37 PM on October 2 [1 favorite]
There's no Holly or Otis this year, looks like. I'm a little heartbroken at what that might mean.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 8:53 PM on October 2 [2 favorites]
posted by kitten kaboodle at 8:53 PM on October 2 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I immediately looked for my man Otis' bio and it's not there. Hope he's still kicking...but he's a boomer at this point.
posted by maxwelton at 9:41 PM on October 2
posted by maxwelton at 9:41 PM on October 2
I might have to start lobbying for Alaska to commission an "I voted" sticker for regular elections from the designer who designed the "I Voted / Fat Bear Week 2024" design. The state used to have a generally respectable (and occasionally impressive) sticker game but it has been recycling several old designs for a while now..
posted by Nerd of the North at 12:53 AM on October 3 [2 favorites]
posted by Nerd of the North at 12:53 AM on October 3 [2 favorites]
519 hardly put on any weight from the looks of it. That is worrisome.
posted by jacquilynne at 3:58 AM on October 3
posted by jacquilynne at 3:58 AM on October 3
On the Facebook group, it was mentioned that neither Holly nor Otis have been seen this year. :(
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:05 AM on October 3 [1 favorite]
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:05 AM on October 3 [1 favorite]
One of my coworkers puts up the Fat Bear (and Fat Bear Junior) brackets every year, complete with bios, on a cubicle wall where all can enjoy.
She was saddened by the bear murder, but included the bio as an obituary. (Did I mention that this coworker is a joy to work with because of stuff like this? Because she is.)
posted by caution live frogs at 6:06 AM on October 3 [5 favorites]
She was saddened by the bear murder, but included the bio as an obituary. (Did I mention that this coworker is a joy to work with because of stuff like this? Because she is.)
posted by caution live frogs at 6:06 AM on October 3 [5 favorites]
It was not a territorial clash—those are common and recognizable
They know. And they want the title. This is all of our faults.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 9:30 AM on October 3 [2 favorites]
They know. And they want the title. This is all of our faults.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 9:30 AM on October 3 [2 favorites]
This is the answer to the question, "Why can't bears be friends?"
They will kill and eat OTHER BEARS! You have no chance...
posted by Windopaene at 9:34 AM on October 3 [1 favorite]
They will kill and eat OTHER BEARS! You have no chance...
posted by Windopaene at 9:34 AM on October 3 [1 favorite]
If not friend, why friend-shaped? Scientific American discusses on TikTok.
I am only yearning a little bit to snorfle those bear potbellies like they are ginormous pets. Also they must smell like rancid fish guts, so not the sunny smell of my cats' bellies (though their breath does smell like fish).
posted by spamandkimchi at 9:52 AM on October 3 [2 favorites]
I am only yearning a little bit to snorfle those bear potbellies like they are ginormous pets. Also they must smell like rancid fish guts, so not the sunny smell of my cats' bellies (though their breath does smell like fish).
posted by spamandkimchi at 9:52 AM on October 3 [2 favorites]
They will kill and eat OTHER BEARS! You have no chance...
And Robert F Kennedy Jr -- what chance will he have?
posted by y2karl at 3:02 PM on October 3
And Robert F Kennedy Jr -- what chance will he have?
posted by y2karl at 3:02 PM on October 3
Also they must smell like rancid fish guts, so not the sunny smell of my cats' bellies (though their breath does smell like fish).Yeah.. One of my long-ago posts tells the story of a friend whose vehicle was invaded by a curious bear late in the season. To quote that story: "To fully understand what a disaster this was, you have to realize that the bear, at this point in the season, has been feeding at the mouth of the stream for weeks, wallowing every day through mud and decomposing fish to get to the remaining fish in the streams." In the case of my friend's story we were talking about black bears but I can only assume the same principle applies to the giant brown bears of Katmai as the end of the season approaches.
If you've never been to a really productive Alaskan salmon stream towards the end of the season you have no idea how thoroughly the ambience of spawned-out salmon can saturate everything. It's a miracle of nature and an assault on the senses all wrapped up into a neat little package.
posted by Nerd of the North at 5:15 PM on October 3 [4 favorites]
In today's poll, I voted 856 (large old boi) and 901, who to my eye looked rounder than her rival Walker (though most voters seem to disagree).
It's nice to be voting in an election where there are no consequences and the candidates don't care who wins.
posted by Pallas Athena at 5:36 PM on October 3
It's nice to be voting in an election where there are no consequences and the candidates don't care who wins.
posted by Pallas Athena at 5:36 PM on October 3
Final day! It's Grazer vs Chunk.
The photos show similar majestic figures, but I voted Grazer because I think she shows the greatest change between the Before and After photos. And she did it while feeding cubs as well as herself.
posted by Pallas Athena at 10:32 AM on October 8 [1 favorite]
The photos show similar majestic figures, but I voted Grazer because I think she shows the greatest change between the Before and After photos. And she did it while feeding cubs as well as herself.
posted by Pallas Athena at 10:32 AM on October 8 [1 favorite]
Plus Grazer didn't eat any of the other contestants, so that's a mark in her favour. I mean, depending on how you feel about the ethics of bear eating contests including actual eating of bears.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:28 PM on October 8 [3 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 12:28 PM on October 8 [3 favorites]
128 Grazer is the most fattest! Repeat winner!
posted by jacquilynne at 8:21 AM on October 9 [2 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 8:21 AM on October 9 [2 favorites]
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And then another contestant stole the dead body... Red in tooth and claw, kiddos! I always share FBW with my 7th graders, but I might give it a pass this year.
posted by Ghidorah at 8:15 PM on October 2 [12 favorites]