Thu Sep 18 16:30:00 UTC 2025: **Here’s a summary:**
Fat Bear Week, the annual celebration of brown bears preparing for winter, returns for its 11th year on September 23-30, 2025. Hosted by explore.org and the Katmai Conservancy, the event allows the public to vote for the bear that has gained the most weight over the summer. The competition is a bracket-style tournament with online voting. Last year saw over 1.2 million votes cast from around the world. Notable contenders include the reigning champion 128 Grazer and 32 Chunk, who recovered from a broken jaw. Before the main event, Fat Bear Junior takes place. Donations to the Katmai Conservancy’s Otis Fund are encouraged to support conservation efforts.
**Here’s the news article:**
**Fat Bear Week 2025: Get Ready to Vote for the Chunkiest Alaskan Brown Bear**
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Get your votes ready! The beloved Fat Bear Week returns for its 11th year from September 23-30, 2025, offering the public a chance to celebrate the impressive pre-hibernation gains of Alaska’s brown bears. Hosted by explore.org and the Katmai Conservancy, the annual competition showcases the success of bears in preparing for the long winter ahead.
Fat Bear Week is a bracket-style, single-elimination tournament where viewers vote online for the bear they believe has gained the most weight during the summer salmon run at Katmai National Park. The bracket reveal happens Monday, September 22 at 3pm AKT. Last year’s event drew over 1.2 million votes from over 100 countries, highlighting the international fascination with these magnificent creatures.
This year, keep an eye out for returning champion 128 Grazer, the first mother bear to ever win Fat Bear Week, as well as fan-favorite 32 Chunk, who has made a remarkable recovery after breaking his jaw earlier this year.
“Chunk’s resilience, Grazer’s skill, and Bucky’s intelligence were just a few of the powerful stories we witnessed at Brooks River this summer,” said Charlie Annenberg, founder of Explore.org. “Thanks to another great salmon run, the bears are the fattest I’ve ever seen!”
Before the main event, Fat Bear Junior, featuring the cubs, will take place. The bracket reveal is on Wednesday, September 17 at 3pm AKT, with voting on September 18 & 19.
To support conservation efforts, donations to the Katmai Conservancy’s Otis Fund are encouraged. Explore.org will match contributions from September 23rd to October 4th. A Fat Bear Week Celebration Fundraiser will take place on October 4 at 12pm AKT.
Prepare to be amazed by the incredible transformations and celebrate the strength, survival, and wild spirit of Katmai’s bears! Find profiles, compare before-and-after photos, and follow the competition at the Fat Bear Week website, and engage in the social media conversation using #FatBearWeek.
First Piper 