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Fat Bear Week Voting Opens With 12 Supersized Contenders at Katmai

Organizers say an exceptional sockeye run has produced some of the fattest bears seen on the Brooks River.

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Overview

  • Public voting runs online Sept. 23–30 with daily ballots open from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET.
  • Defending champion 128 Grazer returns in a 12-bear bracket that also features Fat Bear Jr. winner 128 Jr., fan-favorite 32 Chunk recovering from a broken jaw, and newcomer 602 “Flotato.”
  • Viewers can watch the bears on Explore.org’s live cams, then vote in the single-elimination matchups at FatBearWeek.org.
  • Rangers and naturalists report an unusually strong salmon run this season, contributing to especially large contenders across the field.
  • The event is produced by Katmai National Park, Explore.org and the Katmai Conservancy, with fundraising for The Otis Fund promoted alongside the contest after drawing more than 1 million votes last year.