What is the Fat Bear Week contest? Rules and how to participate

Fat Bear Week in Alaska is underway, and those who cannot make it to the Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, where the contest is held, can cast their votes online for their favorite bears. The bears in the preserve are bulky for a reason this time of year: they are preparing for hibernation and thus put on a couple of extra pounds to store as much energy as they sleep through the year’s colder months. The event aims to raise awareness about brown bears as it connects people with the Katmai bear population, who otherwise may never be able to catch a glimpse of these big beauties. During the week, a bear live stream can be followed from anywhere in the world to watch the contestants and their friends as they fish and prepare for the winter.

During the weeklong event, participants will be able to cast a daily vote until the two final bears face off in the bracket-based tournament.

The competition began on Wednesday, but those looking to join in on the fun can participate in Thursday’s match-up. Voting will open at 9 AM PT.

The final vote will take place on October 8.

A personal favorite

One of my personal favorites up for the big prize this year is 32 Chunk is estimated to weigh over 1,200 pounds. That is one chunky boy! In late August, as Chunk’s appetite began to grow, those who tuned into the live stream saw the bear scarf down 42 salmon in about 10 hours. What a feast!

Today’s match up: A big boy vs a mama bear

While some of the bears have names, many don’t and are just recognized by a number. Today’s matchup is between bears 856 and 504. 856 is described as “a very large adult male” with “uniformly brown body fur and light-brown ears.” On all four legs, he stands at about five feet, meaning that if I came face to face with him, I’d hope to make a graceful exit. His competition, 504, is a mama bear, and she has been busy this year taking care of her litter of cubs.