A brown bear known as 89 Backpack has been declared the winner of the annual Fat Bear Week competition, held by the Katmai National Park in Alaska. The US National Parks Service described the contest as a "battle of size, skill, snack acquisition, and strategic loafing."
Backpack narrowly defeated a bear known only as 910 in the final round, securing 103,344 votes compared to 910's 98,253. The National Parks Service acknowledged the 16 bears who "involuntarily participated" in the competition, which is now in its thirteenth year.
Backpack is expected to enter hibernation shortly, a period that can last up to six months. During hibernation, bears do not eat or drink and can lose one-third of their body weight, making the accumulation of fat reserves crucial for their winter survival. Backpack's mother, Holly, previously won the Fat Bear Week competition in 2019.
The finalists' latest weights have not yet been revealed. Adult male brown bears can average up to 408kg in mid-summer and often gain the equivalent of 25% of their body weight by autumn, with the largest males potentially exceeding 540kg.