poll
“Fat Bear” election – Who will win as the fattest brown bear?
In the “Fat Bear” election in Alaska, the fattest brown bears have the best chance of winning the title. photo
© K. Moore/ukrin/dpa
In the “Fat Bear” election in Alaska, the fattest brown bears have the best chance of winning the title. Jurors from all over the world vote. The strange competition has a serious background.
Enormous fat rolls, a master of salmon eating: 747 could be in this year’s “Fat Bear” competition Alaska defended its title from last year. The massive brown bear with the telling nickname “Jumbo Jet” was already named the thickest furry animal in Katmai National Park in 2020 and 2022. Now he is taking part in the strange competition of the fattest bears again. The rangers introduced the twelve candidates.
For the ninth year, the park in southwest Alaska is hosting “Fat Bear Week.” Visitors and bear fans can vote online for a week for the biggest specimens. The winner will be announced on “Fat Bear” Tuesday (October 10).
747 was estimated at a record-breaking 630 kilos in 2019. Now the 20-year-old male is no longer quite as fat, but is still an impressive figure, say the rangers. It depends on the curves, but the temperament, special abilities or survival skills of the animals also play a role when the rangers make their selection. How skillfully do the bears catch salmon in the rapids, and how well do they defend their position? It’s more of a popularity contest, in which last year Bears fans from all over the world cast over a million votes.
Thin in spring, thick in autumn
“Of course we need photos of the bears, in spring when they are thin and in autumn when they are nice and round,” ranger Chris Kliesrath tells the German Press Agency. The before and after photos show it clearly: after the hibernation, the bears are emaciated and by autumn they gain weight significantly.
Of course there is no bear on the scales. The candidates are examined, compared and described effusively from a safe distance. “Oh my God, his stomach is dragging on the floor,” enthuses Kliesrath. “Some have enormous rolls of fat, to our great joy, because for us these are successful bears.” With these fat reserves they can survive the months of hibernation without eating. In the process, they lose up to 33 percent of their body weight, says the ranger.
With the “Fat Bear” competition, the park wants to provide information about the ecosystem and habitat of the region’s over 2,000 brown bears and draw attention to dangers, such as those caused by climate change. The area has the largest salmon resources in the world. The animals depend on this high-calorie diet. But this year the salmon runs came two weeks later, so the bears initially only had berries and grass to eat, explains Kliesrath.
But in the end the salmon buffet was enough, as you can see from the curves of this year’s candidates. Among them is the massive Chunk (in German: Klotz), with a noticeable scar on his snout. The 18-year-old male – “a monster” from the rangers’ point of view – is one of the most dominant bears in the area. The three-time winner Otis is also involved again. At 27 years old, he is one of the oldest and most experienced bears. Despite his age and bad teeth, he is still a master at salmon fishing.
Neatly trimmed
Holly, one of the six female candidates, was declared the winner in 2019 as the “Queen of Physique”. Among other things, the female Grazer is in the race, who, in addition to her fullness, also stands out for her brightly colored ears. The youngest candidate is the chubby 806 Spring Cub, who 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, the rangers inform.
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. Meanwhile, you can watch the bears eating via webcam.
Kliesrath does this with enthusiasm. “For me they are the most beautiful animals ever,” enthuses the ranger. “They fight for the best fishing spots, are extremely resourceful and strong, but also treat their offspring gently – simply majestic.”