{
  "id": 10846185,
  "title": "The backstory of this year's Fat Bear Week winner",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/the-backstory-of-this-years-fat-bear-week-winner",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T03:07:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/fat-bear-week-2026-katmai-national-park-alaska/107189142"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\n89 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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nThe 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.",
  "summary": "The annual Fat Bear Week competition has crowned a new champion, with Backpack taking the top spot. The contest, which sees people vote for their favourite bear in Alaska's Katmai National Park, has been running for several years. The bears are competing as they bulk up for winter hibernation.\n\nBackpack won with 103,334 votes, narrowly beating out bear 910 which received 98,253 votes. According to CBS News, Backpack is the offspring of a former Fat Bear Week winner, Holly, who was crowned champion in 2019. Holly introduced Backpack to Brooks River at the Katmai National Park and Preserve in 2006.\n\nThe competition featured 16 bears, with Backpack emerging as an early favourite. It faced tougher competition in the semifinal rounds, but ultimately took the top spot. The contest is run by Explore.org, with Katmai National Park & Preserve posting on social media about the event.",
  "key_points": [
    "89 Backpack wins Fat Bear Week 2023, edging out 910 by over 5,000 votes",
    "Both finalists are \"nepo bears\" whose mothers previously won the competition",
    "Bears consume up to 30 salmon daily, equating to 135,000 calories per day"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The victory of 89 Backpack in Fat Bear Week cements the influence of family legacy, as nepo bears continue to thrive in the competition, with both finalists being the offspring of previous winners.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Backpack voted Fat Bear Week 2026 winner, beating former champ's offspring",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/backpack-voted-fat-bear-week-2026-winner-beating-former-champs",
        "published": "2026-09-30T01:14:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}