Fat Bear Week 2026: Here’s how to participate!
It's time for Fat Bear Week 2026! Vote for your favorite corpulent cutie as the brown bears of Katmai National Park fatten up for winter. The post Fat Bear Week 2026: Here’s how to participate! first appeared on EarthSky .
Fat Bear Week 2026 is underway, inviting participants to vote for their favorite overweight bear in Katmai National Park, Alaska. The annual event, hosted by Explore.org, runs from September 22 to 29. The bears, such as Chunk, Holly, Bucky, and Mama Bear 132 with her cubs, are in the midst of their hibernation preparation, consuming vast amounts of food to build up fat reserves.
During hibernation, bears do not eat or drink, losing one-third of their body weight. Therefore, they must accumulate ample fat reserves before entering their den. In Katmai National Park, the primary source of food is salmon, with dozens of bears gathering at Brooks River to feast on them from late June to mid-October.
To participate in Fat Bear Week, simply visit FatBearWeek.org. You can vote for your chosen bear by viewing their pictures and clicking on the one you prefer. Remember, you'll only be able to vote once per email address. The voting period is between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. CDT from September 22 to 29. After voting, you can check the results as they come in.
This year's Fat Bear Week includes not only single adult bears but also subadults and bear families with mothers and cubs. Bear 428 "Studious" and Bear 903 "Gully", offspring of 128 Grazer, who has won Fat Bear titles in 2023 and 2024, are also competing.
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