Fat Bear Week

Fat Bear Week is an annual event held in October by Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, commemorating the impressive seasonal preparations made by brown bears inhabiting Katmai as they ready themselves for their winter hibernation. The competition is jointly organized by the National Park Service and Explore.org. Human spectators from around the world are invited to participate by casting online votes to determine the bear that has most effectively accumulated fat reserves. In 2023, AP News called the competition "Alaska’s most-watched popularity contest".

The event serves as a testament to the remarkable feats of weight gain demonstrated by these bears, often exceeding 1,000 pounds, during the pivotal summer and autumn months when they fervently feed on salmon in anticipation of their extended hibernation period. Every bit of fat that they can get counts, too. Bears can lose up to a third of their body weight during hibernation, as they cannot eat or drink until they emerge in the spring. Beyond its playful competitive aspect, Fat Bear Week also serves a crucial role in advocating for bear conservation, cultivating an interest in wildlife, and encouraging positive human-nature interactions through the utilization of live webcams strategically placed along the Brooks River.