Though the "weight" has been unbearable, it’s finally "fat" time of year again. Fat Bear Week has returned. The chubby cubby competition features the brown bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park in a weeklong showdown. It is being held earlier than ever this year, thanks to an especially strong salmon season. "This year's salmon run was extraordinary, with salmon numbers surpassing anything seen in recent memory," Matt Johnson told NPR. "As a result, the brown bears of Katmai are well-nourished." Johnson is a program manager at Katmai National Park. In other words, the bears are bigger this year. That might make voters’ decisions that much trickier. As usual, pairs of bears will be pitted against each other in a single-elimination tournament. The bears, of course, don’t know they’re vying with each other for internet stardom. They will continue to eat salmon, preparing for the winter ahead. It’s up to fans watching the bears on livestream cameras to decide which one deserves this year’s title. The competition is subjective; nobody weighs the bears. That’s why, for the past two years, despite not being the biggest, mama bear Grazer has gotten the bear’s share of the more than 2.7 million votes cast since 2023. She’ll be going for her record third championship in a row this year. She’ll face some hefty challengers, though. The 2025 lineup features prior winners Otis. He has taken home the title four times since Fat Bear Week began in 2014. Also competing is 747 (nicknamed “Bear Force One”), who is known to eat so much that he tips the scales at more than 1,400 pounds. Voting opens today and concludes September 30, on Fat Bear Tuesday. Thought Question: What’s an unusual competition you would love to see or create that combines fun and creativity?
