Photo: National Park Service/Courtesy of L. Law
A bear identified as 747 just earned the coveted title of the 2022 Fat Bear Week champion. This contest, a joint initiative by Katmai National Park and Explore.org, asks the public to vote for the bear they think has gained the most weight prior to hibernation season on the Alaskan reserve. In the final duel of this March Madness-style bracket, 747 defeated the runner-up, a young adult female bear identified as 901, by more than 10,000 votes. As the clear winner, he's been described as “very fat with a low-hanging belly and uniformly dark brown fur.”
Being named the chubby champion of this competition is nothing new for 747, though. He had previously taken the crown in 2020. The large adult male, who weighs nearly one ton, has been known for his wide frame and other physical features—including his blocky muzzle and a floppy right ear—by those who study the animals of Katmai National Park for quite some time.
The votes are in- you’ve decided to upgrade to fish class & fly w/ 747!
747 was deemed an order of magnitude more massive than 901, who experienced troubling tummy turbulence enroute. 901 made a strong start in her 1st #FatBearWeek appearance. Expect big things in the future! pic.twitter.com/i6IPy2ajEw
— Katmai National Park (@KatmaiNPS) October 12, 2022
Mike Fitz, a former ranger and the founder of Fat Bear Week, endorsed 747 because he is, simply, an impressive specimen. “He is the largest bear I've ever seen,” Fitz told Buzzfeed News. “He’s always super fat in the fall, and he’s just a great bear to watch…a tough competitor, one of the more dominant bears at the waterfall.”
Though 747 will not receive a prize—nor is he aware of being a two-time champion—this thicc bear has helped shine a light on the creatures that call this park home and the importance of a balanced habitat. “For bears, fat equals survival,” says the National Park Service. “Fat bears exemplify the richness of this area, a wild region that is home to more brown bears than people and the largest, healthiest runs of sockeye salmon left on the planet.”
After a grueling competition, it's time for these chubby pals to get ready for winter. “The bears might be going into a food coma, but the festivities aren’t over!” the Katmai National Park tweeted. You can keep up with what these bears are up to by following the park and Explore.org on Twitter.
A bear identified as 747 was just crowned the winner of the 2022 Fat Bear Week competition.
The votes are in- you’ve decided to upgrade to fish class & fly w/ 747!
747 was deemed an order of magnitude more massive than 901, who experienced troubling tummy turbulence enroute. 901 made a strong start in her 1st #FatBearWeek appearance. Expect big things in the future! pic.twitter.com/i6IPy2ajEw
— Katmai National Park (@KatmaiNPS) October 12, 2022
This contest, a joint initiative by Katmai National Park and Explore.org, shines a light on the bears that call this Alaskan reserve home.
Photo: National Park Service
All images via the National Park Service.
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