Overview

• The 12-bear adult bracket will be unveiled Monday, with online voting at fatbearweek.org and a champion crowned on Sept. 30.
• Thursday's Fat Bear Jr. semifinals feature cub 128 Junior versus the 803s, and siblings 26 Female and 26 Male in the other matchup.
• Organizers emphasize education about bear survival and the ecosystem, a goal outlined by contest founder and explore.org naturalist Mike Fitz.
• A standout storyline is the return of Chunk, who suffered a broken jaw in June yet has adapted and remains one of the river's largest bears.
• With so many salmon, bears competed less at Brooks Falls this season, and voters judge size visually because weighing animals is unsafe and impractical.