Eleven brown bears from Katmai National Park and Preserve, in Alaska, will compete in the 2026 Fat Bear Week between September 22 and 29. The competition, which has become a phenomenon among wildlife fans, invites the public to choose which animal best represents weight gain and the ability to prepare for winter.
During the North American summer, bears feed mainly on abundant sockeye salmon from the Brooks River to accumulate large fat reserves. These reserves are essential during hibernation, when the animals go months without eating or drinking. In autumn, some male bears at Katmai can exceed 540 kilograms.
The contest, despite its humorous name, has an important biological reason. Bears need to gain enough weight to survive through the winter without feeding. The article also mentions that a bear with a broken jaw weighing 550 kilograms won a previous edition of the contest.