Alaska
“Fat Bear” election: chubby young bear clears first hurdle
Bear cub 806, nicknamed “Chubby Prince,” is already well fed in September. photo
© Jimenez/Carmack/National Park Service/dpa
Who got the most weight over the summer? Katmai National Park is hosting the Fat Bear elections for the ninth time. At the start, the young bear “Chubby Prince” inspires – but the race is still open.
Beginner’s luck for 806 Spring Cub: At the “Fat Bear” elections in Katmai National Park in In Alaska, the young bear nicknamed “Chubby Prince” made it to the next round.
At the start of the election on Wednesday (local time), 806 Spring Cub received significantly more votes (almost 130,000) than its three-year-old rival 428 with almost 22,000 votes.
“Pretty dark ears and big round bottom”
806 Spring Cub has gained a lot of weight in his first summer at his mother’s side. When they are born at the beginning of the year, young animals weigh just half a kilo, and by autumn they gain an impressive 30 kilos. “He has pretty dark ears and a big round bottom,” enthused one of his many fans on the park’s website.
In another runoff election on Wednesday, the stately female 901, mother of three cubs, easily beat brown bear 402. A record number of votes were received on the first day of voting, the park administration said.
Katmai Park in southwest Alaska is hosting “Fat Bear Week” for the ninth time. The competition is intended to provide information about the ecosystem and habitat of over 2,000 brown bears in the region.
With the two winners of the day, there are now eight more bears in the race, including 747 with the meaningful nickname “Jumbo Jet, the massive Chunk” (in German: Klotz) and the voluptuous Holly.
Before and after photos of the bears
Before and after photos show how the skinny fur-bearing animals after hibernation gain fat while catching salmon over the summer. With these fat reserves they can survive the months of hibernation without eating.
Bears are presented for voting every day during “Fat Bear Week” on the online platform “Explore.org”. After six rounds, only two of the original twelve competitors face each other in the final. The winner will be announced on “Fat Bear” Tuesday (October 10).