Current:Home > MyWhy America has grown to love judging the plumpest bears during Fat Bear Week -EverVision Finance
Why America has grown to love judging the plumpest bears during Fat Bear Week
View
Date:2025-04-13 09:24:18
It's once again time to celebrate the fattest bears in all the land.
Fat Bear Week 2023, the ninth-annual edition of a "March madness-style" bracket competition that pits the fattest brown bears at Katmai National Park in Alaska against each other, is set to begin, Keith Moore, lead interpretive park ranger at Katmai National Park and Preserve, told ABC News.
The bears of the Brooks River have spent the summer fattening up on salmon, berries and grasses in preparation of their annual winter hibernation, according to the park.
In the bear kingdom, "fat is fit," and the more gargantuan, the better, according to Moore.
The brown bears are now in prime shape to enter hibernation around November and eventually experience a one-third loss of their body weight through the winter season, when they start to emerge from their dens around May, Moore said.
MORE: Could a government shutdown affect Fat Bear Week?
How Fat Bear Week came into fruition
When the first Fat Bear competition began in 2014, it consisted of one single day when a few of the parks' most notably sizable bears were placed in competition with each other, Moore said.
By the next year, the contest transformed into a "globally recognized" event that required more days and more contenders, Moore said. In 2022, more than a million ballots were cast for the competition.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we get even more attention this year," he said.
MORE: '747' named winner of Fat Bear Week for 2nd time following ballot-stuffing attempt
Why Fat Bear Week is important
With the popularity that Fat Bear Week brings, park officials are able to direct the extra attention to conservation efforts in the region.
The bears rely on the abundance of the sockeye salmon run within the Brooks River, a mile-and-a-half long stream that contains the largest concentration of brown bears on the planet, Moore said.
The brown bears of Katmai National Park represent the overall health of the local ecosystem and Bristol Bay watershed, Moore said.
"It's just an incredible opportunity for people to celebrate the success and survival of these bears," he said.
MORE: Big and beautiful: Jumbo '747' wins annual Fat Bear Week competition
Notable past winners of Fat Bear Week
Last year, a particularly large brown bear named "747" won the competition for the second time.
When 747 goes into hibernation, he is expected to weigh about 1,400 pounds, Moore said. The bears are often so "bulbous" that they appear cartoonish, Moore said, adding that their heads often appear much smaller than their bodies.
Other past winners include 480 Otis, four-time champ and fan favorite, 435 Holly, the 2019 winner renowned for her maternal instincts and ability to "balloon up each fall " and 409 Beadnose, another female bear who won in 2018 for her "most fabulous flab."
Rangers are able to tell the bears apart based on physical markers, such as scars and birthmarks, Moore said.
The bears are named based on a numbering system within the bear monitoring program, he said. They are not tagged or collared.
MORE: 'Fat' and 'fabulous' 435 Holly wins Fat Bear Week 2019
How to compete in Fat Bear Week
Starting on Monday, participants can start filling out their brackets as head-to-head matchups are announced during a live chat on the Explore.org website.
From Thursday through Oct. 10, voters can cast their ballots at fatbearweek.org.
The winner will be crowned the 2023 Fat Bear Week champion on Oct. 10.
veryGood! (671)
Related
- Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
- Singer Renée Fleming unveils healing powers of music in new book, Music and Mind
- Eminem celebrates 16 years of sobriety with a new recovery chip: 'So proud of you'
- Nelly Korda wins 2024 Chevron Championship, record-tying fifth LPGA title in a row
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- 2 reasons the smartest investors are watching this stock, dubbed the Amazon of Korea
- Ryan Garcia defeats Devin Haney by majority decision: Round-by-round fight analysis
- Why Mike Tyson is a 'unicorn' according to ex-bodybuilder who trained former heavyweight champ
- Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
- 'Antisemitism and anarchy': Rabbi urges Jewish students to leave Columbia for their safety
Ranking
- Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
- 2 young siblings killed, 15 hurt after car crashes into birthday party in Michigan
- Israel strikes Iran with a missile, U.S. officials say, as Tehran downplays Netanyahu's apparent retaliation
- Nelly Korda wins 2024 Chevron Championship, record-tying fifth LPGA title in a row
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- What we know about the shooting of an Uber driver in Ohio and the scam surrounding it
- 'Child care desert': In this state, parents pay one-third of their income on child care
- Cryptocurrencies Available on Qschaincoin
Recommendation
Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
Tesla cuts the price of its “Full Self Driving” system by a third to $8,000
Millionaire Matchmaker’s Patti Stanger Reveals Her Updated Rules For Dating
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Paper Hat
Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
2 brothers condemned to die for the ‘Wichita massacre’ want a new sentencing hearing
Protect Your QSCHAINCOIN Account With Security & Data Privacy Best Practices
Tesla cuts prices on three models after tumultuous week and ahead of earnings