Backpack Wins Fat Bear Week 2026 at Katmai National Park

Backpack, a gentle male brown bear, won Fat Bear Week 2026 in a close final against Bear 910. Sixteen bears competed in an online, single-elimination bracket, and the winner was declared after the last poll closed on Tuesday evening.

Key Facts

Backpack Wins Fat Bear Week 2026 After a Close Final

The final vote closed on Tuesday evening, and the organizers declared Backpack the champion soon after. His share of the vote was just over 50 percent, which gave him a narrow victory over Bear 910.

Last year’s winner, Chunk, known officially as Bear 32, took the crown at an estimated 1,200 pounds. He could not repeat. Chunk was handily beaten in the first round this year by Bucky, and Bucky later lost a face-off against Backpack.

How Fat Bear Week 2026 Was Decided

This year’s event featured 16 bears competing for the heavyweight title in a bracket-style tournament. Every round was eliminated by a single vote, and all voting took place online. Viewers could watch the bears on livestream cameras run by explore.org before choosing a favorite.

Fat Bear Week began in 2014 as an interactive way to teach the public about brown bears, the coastal cousins of grizzlies. The contest celebrates the resilience of the roughly 2,200 brown bears living in the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula, which stretches from the southwest corner of the state toward the Aleutian Islands.

To be featured, bears must spend time around the Brooks River. Readers who want to learn more about the park can visit the National Park Service page for Katmai.

Who Is Backpack, the Gentle Giant?

Backpack is the son of former champion Holly, who introduced him to the Brooks River when he was a first-year cub. His name comes from his habit of climbing onto his mother’s back while they swam across the river.

His contestant profile says that, unlike many large adult male bears, he has not shown much aggression toward rivals. He relies on quiet strength rather than brawling. Wildlife cameras often catch him sitting on a rock downstream, seemingly taking in the scenery.

Fans who cheered him on in the contest’s Instagram comments pointed to his family line and his reputation as a gentle giant. His opponent in the final, Bear 910, also has a champion in her family: her mother is former winner 409 Beadnose.

Why Fat Is a Sign of Success for Bears

“Fat bears are successful bears,” the nonprofit says on its website. Salmon return to the Brooks River starting in late June, and the bears feast on them to build the fat reserves they need to survive the winter.

Adult male brown bears typically weigh between 600 and 900 pounds (270 to 410 kg) in midsummer. By the time they are ready to hibernate, large males can top 1,000 pounds (454 kg). Females are about one-third smaller. A bear may eat as many as 30 fish a day at this time of year, working to consume a year’s worth of food in about six months.

During winter hibernation, bears do not eat or drink, and they can lose one-third of their body weight.

Bear Families Join the Contest

Five bear families were among the contestants, recognizing the record-high number of families and cubs at the river this summer. A mother must feed and protect her cubs while also eating enough to sustain herself through hibernation. Cubs can face attacks from other bears because of territorial behavior or food scarcity.

Bear 132 and her three spring cubs reached the semifinals but lost to Bear 910. Her profile describes her as one of the largest and most experienced mother bears at Brooks River. In mid-July, one of her cubs became separated and wandered the river corridor alone for several days before rejoining the family. Their run added another storyline to Fat Bear Week 2026.

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