The backstory of this year's Fat Bear Week winner
Each year, people around the world vote for their favourite bear in Alaska's Katmai National Park as the fuzzy fellows bulk up for winter hibernation.
This year’s Fat Bear Week has crowned a new champion: 89 Backpack, a brown bear residing in Alaska’s Katmai National Park. The annual online poll, initiated in 2012 by a fan, showcases the bears’ impressive growth as they prepare for hibernation. This year, 89 Backpack narrowly edged out 910 to win the crown, with a vote difference of just over 5,000 votes.
89 Backpack’s name stems from his habit of riding on his mother’s back while swimming in the river, a sight that endeared him to viewers. Both finalists are “nepo bears,” meaning their mothers previously won the competition. Holly, Backpack’s mother, claimed the title in 2019, while 910’s mother, 409 Beadnose, had won in 2015 and 2018.
The competition is essentially a popularity contest, where viewers vote for the bear that best exemplifies fatness and success in brown bears. Although it’s not about body weight, it’s more about the bears’ overall appearance and health. The finalists, including 89 Backpack and 910, are part of a larger family unit, adding a heartwarming element to the event.
The bears’ massive appetites are a key factor in the competition. In preparation for hibernation, they can consume up to 30 salmon a day, equating to approximately 135,000 calories per day. Their win in Fat Bear Week is testament to their resilience and adaptability, as seen in 89 Backpack’s “quiet toughness” that allowed him to find his niche despite a past leg injury.
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