Overview

• Park staff and naturalists report an exceptionally abundant salmon run this season, leaving bears unusually well-fed and poised for a heavyweight contest.
• The bracket features two-time defending champion 128 Grazer, 32 “Chunk” with a broken jaw, 602 “Flotato,” and notable entries such as 503 and 901.
• The recent Fat Bear Junior winner, a cub of Grazer, joins 11 adult competitors in the single-elimination tournament.
• Opening round voting matches eight bears while four receive first‑round byes before advancing to the next stage.
• Viewers can watch on Explore.org and donate via The Otis Fund, with organizers noting 1.4 million votes from 60 countries in 2024.