Backpack voted Fat Bear Week 2026 winner, beating former champ's offspring
Voters were split between bear 910 and 89 Backpack in the final round of the weeklong contest to see who is the chunkiest bear at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
Backpack has been named the 2026 Fat Bear Week champion, defeating a fellow offspring of a past winner. Contestants were evenly divided between bear 910 and Backpack in the final showdown. Backpack garnered 103,334 votes, with the runner-up receiving 98,253 votes, as reported by Explore.org. This weeklong event, hosted by Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska, showcased the bear with the most substantial physique.
The online voting garnered over 1.7 million votes from more than 100 countries, marking the most significant turnout in Fat Bear Week's 12-year history. The epic competition began as a one-day event in 2014, but by 2025, it had expanded to a week-long celebration of Katmai's wild places. The tradition endures, much like America's 250th anniversary, thanks to the dedication of people who keep it alive.
Holly introduced Backpack to Brooks River in 2006, and despite a significant leg injury when he was 2 years old, he recovered and thrived, earning his place in Fat Bear Week Hall of Champions.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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