Alaska
Female brown bear Grazer wins “Fat Bear” competition
Twelve brown bears competed for a week in Katmai National Park for the curious “Fat Bear” title. Bear Grazer (with the code number 128) was convincing. photo
© Boak/National Park Service/dpa
A US national park is holding a curious event to provide information about the ecosystem and habitat of over 2,000 brown bears in the region – and the competition is becoming increasingly popular.
The massive winner of this year’s “Fat Bear” competition in Alaska is set. Brown bear Grazer (with the code number 128) prevailed in the competition for the fattest furry animal in Katmai National Park against the impressive male 32 Chunk (“Klotz” in German). The “greedy girl” had outdone the “guy with the guts”, the park administration in the northernmost US state announced yesterday evening (local time).
Twelve brown bears competed for the strange title in the national park for a week. After six rounds of voting, only these two competitors faced each other in the final on Tuesday.
Well over a million votes were received from all over the world – a record number. Online, bear fans were able to watch the candidates catching salmon on webcams, view before and after photos and vote for their favorites. In spring the bears are still thin, but they have to build up fat reserves until autumn in order to survive the months of hibernation without food.
128 Grazer was particularly successful. Rangers praised her as a skilled angler. Her body size was estimated at a good 320 kilograms. 32 Chunk is said to weigh around 550 kilos with his massive rear end. But it’s not just the estimated final weight that makes the difference; other factors, such as eating behavior and temperament, also weigh heavily. Last year the mighty Bear 747, nicknamed the “Jumbo Jet,” had the most fans.
Katmai Park hosted “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.