“From its humble beginnings as Fat Bear Tuesday in 2014 to over 1 million votes cast last year in 2022, celebrating fat bears and Katmai's healthy ecosystem has since become a tradition!”

Each winter, the bears of Katmai National Park in Alaska gorge themselves on salmon to prepare for entering their winter dens. While in their dens, bears will not eat or drink until they emerge in the spring. Since they lose up to 1/3 of their body weight during this time, it's important for them to put on as much weight as possible before winter begins!

Fat Bear week is a tournament style bracket where the public votes on which fat bear reigns supreme. Rangers create the brackets, and the public then votes to see who will advance each round. Voting takes place over several days on www.fatbearweek.org. Voters may use any criteria they see fit. In the end, one bear will emerge victorious!

This year, Fat Bear Week starts on October 4 and concludes on October 10. In addition to voting during this week-long tournament, there will be a series of online chats featuring naturalists and rangers from Katmai, focusing on the bears and Katmai's ecosystem.

Starting October 4th, follow the link below to cast your votes. Send your bracket to natureswap@rwpzoo.org to earn 5000 points this month!

Fat Bear Week 2023 | VOTE (explore.org)