Online voting began Tuesday, September 22 for Fat Bear Week 2026, the annual single-elimination tournament featuring 16 brown bears from Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. The competition, which runs through September 29, allows the public to vote for the bear they believe has gained the most weight to prepare for winter hibernation.
Defending champion Bear 32 (Chunk) returns after winning last year’s contest with an estimated 1,200-pound frame. This year’s bracket includes Bear 903 (Gully), the offspring of two-time champion Grazer, and Bear 480 Otis, a long-standing competitor known for his fishing prowess at Brooks Falls. The event, now in its 13th year, has expanded from its original 2014 format and drew over 1.7 million votes from 100+ countries in 2025.
Participants can cast ballots daily between 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET via fatbearweek.org. Live streams from Explore.org, in partnership with the National Park Service, offer real-time views of the bears at Brooks Falls, where they are frequently observed catching salmon and resting.
Peak fat season
Bears in Katmai National Park have reached their annual “peak fat” after months of gorging on salmon, berries, and other seasonal foods, according to Mike Fitz, resident naturalist at Explore.org. Rangers note that the animals can survive four to six months without eating during hibernation, making their pre-winter weight gain critical for survival.
Park officials reported an increase in cub sightings this year, with over 100 individual bears identified at Brooks Camp. The tournament’s bracket-style format pairs contenders in head-to-head matchups, with winners advancing until a single bear is crowned the fattest.
How to participate
Voters can watch live bear activity through Explore.org’s livestreams, which include cameras at Brooks Falls and other key locations. Park rangers also host online Q&A sessions to answer questions about bear behavior and conservation. The contest emphasizes the bears’ resilience and the ecological importance of their seasonal feeding patterns in one of Alaska’s most remote regions.