Fat Bear Week 2026 Kicks Off — 16 Bears Compete as Voting Overwhelms Servers

Fat Bear Week 2026 is underway at Katmai National Park and Preserve, where 16 hefty brown bears are competing in the popular single-elimination tournament that celebrates the fattest residents of Brooks River.

Voting Surge Forces Extension

The opening round of voting began on Tuesday, Sept. 22, but high traffic briefly overwhelmed the polls, prompting organizers to extend voting into the following day so everyone who tried to vote could participate. Fans can cast ballots online between noon and 9 p.m. ET through Sept. 29; each vote requires an email address to count.

How To Watch And Learn

Explore.org, the National Park Service's multimedia partner, streams multiple live camera feeds from Brooks River and Brooks Falls so viewers can watch bears fish, nap and interact in their natural habitat. Park rangers and naturalists host periodic online ranger talks and Q&A sessions to answer audience questions about bear behavior and conservation.

Mike Fitz, resident naturalist at Explore.org, said the bears are at 'peak fat' after gorging on salmon, berries and other summer foods. 'Bears get fat to survive, and fat is the fuel that powers their ability to endure the monthslong famine that is winter hibernation,' he said.

Katmai park ranger Troy Hunt noted that adult brown bears can go four to six months without eating during hibernation. Park officials also report an increase in cubs at Brooks Camp this season, and Explore.org has identified more than 100 individual bears via webcams so far.

The Competitors

Sixteen bears are vying for the crown this year. Highlights include:

• 32 Chunk — The defending 2025 champion, Chunk has recovered from a broken jaw and is back to defend his title.
• 89 Backpack — Known for quiet toughness and distinctive blond-tipped ears.
• 151 Walker — A maturing adult male with a pear-shaped build that helps him climb the hierarchy.
• 164 Bucky — Bulked up after finding a productive fishing spot in the Brooks Falls plunge pool.
• 903 Gully — Named for his unusual habit of chasing and eating gulls along the river.
• 132 — One of the largest, most experienced mothers at Brooks River; she is raising three growing cubs.
• 284 Electra — Shows years of experience in her pronounced shoulder hump; competing while raising two spring cubs.
• 610 — Smaller but resilient; survived a serious injury and has two spring cubs — her first known litter.
• 806 — Raised her own cub and adopted another named Biggie; protective and determined.
• 901 — Noted for exceptional fat-building ability and strong fishing skills, which she has passed to her cub.
• 620 — From a large, close-knit family group; became independent last year.
• 694 — Avoids direct competition by feeding in alternative spots to build fat for hibernation.
• 131 Marshmallow — Light brown to blond; refined fishing skills and appears especially plump this season.
• 428 Studious — Daughter of former champion Grazer; named for her focused fishing style.
• 909 — Offspring of a former winner; suffered the loss of two cubs this summer.
• 910 — Sister to 909; versatile forager who has found multiple feeding locations.

History And Context

Since its start in 2014 as a one-day showcase, Fat Bear Week has grown into an international event. The National Park Service reported more than 1.7 million votes from over 100 countries in 2025. Across 12 years, six different bears have won the title; repeat champions include 480 Otis (four wins), 409 Beadnose (two wins), 747 (two wins) and 128 Grazer (two wins). Otis and Beadnose have not been seen since their last victories; brown bears in the wild can live to roughly 30 years.

Defending champion 32 Chunk aims to add another trophy, but voters will decide who takes the Fat Bear Week crown for 2026.