Alaska’s iconic Fat Bear Week concluded on Tuesday with Backpack, officially Bear 89, declared the heavyweight champion. The nonprofit that runs the 12‑year‑old contest announced that Backpack secured over 100,000 votes, giving him a narrow victory over Bear 910, which earned just over half of Backpack’s total.
What is Fat Bear Week?
Fat Bear Week began in 2014 as an interactive way to teach the public about the brown bears that roam the Brooks River area of Katmai National Park and Preserve. Each summer, the park’s 2,200 brown bears gorge on the abundant salmon that return to the river, building the fat reserves they need to survive the long winter hibernation. The contest highlights the bears’ resilience and the importance of the salmon runs to the ecosystem.
Backpack’s Path to Victory
Backpack is the son of former champion Holly, who first introduced him to the Brooks River as a cub in 2006. His name comes from his habit of climbing onto his mother’s back while swimming. Unlike many large adult males, Backpack is noted for his calm demeanor and “quiet strength,” often seen perched on a rock downstream, watching the river rather than engaging in aggressive bouts.
In this year’s single‑elimination, bracket‑style tournament, 16 bears competed. Last year’s winner, Chunk (Bear 32), weighed an estimated 1,200 pounds but was eliminated in the first round by Bucky, who later fell to Backpack in the semifinals. Backpack’s final opponent, Bear 910, is also a descendant of a former champion (her mother is Bear 409 Beadnose).
Why the Contest Matters
The event draws thousands of online voters who watch live streams from explore.org and cast their votes at fatbearweek.org. It serves as a reminder of the vital role salmon play in the bears’ diet; adult males typically weigh 600‑900 pounds in midsummer and can exceed 1,000 pounds after a season of feasting on up to 30 fish per day. During the winter, bears do not eat or drink and can lose about one‑third of their body weight.
Fat Bear Week also highlighted family dynamics in the bear population. Five bear families entered the competition, reflecting a record number of families and cubs at the river this summer. Mother bears must balance protecting their cubs with consuming enough calories to survive hibernation, a task made more challenging by territorial disputes and occasional food scarcity.
Community Reaction
Fans took to the contest’s Instagram page to celebrate Backpack’s lineage and gentle reputation, noting that his calm approach set him apart from more aggressive competitors. The nonprofit praised the bears, stating, “Fat bears are successful bears,” and emphasized the importance of preserving the salmon runs that sustain them.
Backpack’s victory adds another chapter to the growing tradition of Fat Bear Week, a beloved celebration of Alaska’s wildlife that engages both locals and a national audience in conservation awareness.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
