Fat Bear Week Returns to Alaska with Millions Voting for Largest Brown Bears

Fat Bear Week is an annual event hosted by Katmai National Park in Alaska, celebrating the brown bears as they bulk up to survive the winter hibernation. The contest features a March Madness-style bracket where people vote for the fattest and most successful bears, with over 2,200 brown bears participating, and it attracts around a million votes annually. This year's competition is especially competitive, with several past winners returning, and bears benefiting from an abundant salmon supply. Meanwhile, a large black bear dubbed “Fatso” at the Machar landfill in Ontario has gained local fame, showcasing how bears near human habitats also adapt their diets, though experts caution that landfill food is not ideal for their health. The event not only highlights the bears' physical changes but also serves as an educational platform about bear ecology and conservation. Fat Bear Week has grown from a local curiosity into a global celebration of wildlife and natural resilience.