Fat Bear Week Returns: September 22-29, 2026!
Wildlife enthusiasts can rejoice as Fat Bear Week is back! Set to run from September 22 to 29, 2026, this beloved online competition celebrates the robust brown bears of Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Fans can help crown the fattest bear of the year during this thrilling event.
What is Fat Bear Week?
This annual occasion began as Fat Bear Tuesday in 2014 and expanded into a week-long celebration by 2015. It highlights the bears’ impressive weight gains as they prepare for hibernation, indulging in the abundant salmon run. Participants from all over the world can follow the action via live cams on explore.org.
How Does Voting Work?
The event features a single-elimination tournament where fans vote in head-to-head contests to select the bear that exemplifies success and fatness heading into winter.
Competitors for 2026
This year, eleven bears are competing:
- 26: Medium-sized female with round ears.
- 32 Chunk: Large male with a distinctive scar and a broken jaw.
- 99: Young male with milk chocolate fur.
- 128 Grazer: Large female with blond ears.
- 503: Tall male with crescent-shaped ears.
- 602: Large male with a characteristic stomping dance.
- 609: Nearly five-year-old female with a conical shoulder hump.
- 856: Male known for lip-licking while fishing.
- 901: Medium-sized female with blond-rimmed ears.
- 909: Large female with a prominent shoulder hump.
- 910: Female known for her head-throwing tic while fishing.
Previous Winner
Last year’s champion, 32 Chunk, claimed victory in 2025 against bear 856, receiving 96,350 votes.
Join the Fun!
Follow along with the bears through the Katmai bear cams and vote for your favorites during the competition. For more details on each bear, visit the Katmai Conservancy website.
Get ready to celebrate and participate in the 2026 Fat Bear Week!
