Fat Bear Week crowns its heavyweight champion: 89 Backpack
After a week of healthy competition, the votes are counted, and the results are in: Backpack has been crowned Fat Bear Week champion.
The long-standing annual contest asks the public to vote on which bear living in Alaska’s Katmai National Park they think has done the best job of packing on the pounds in time for hibernation season. This year, Backpack, who is known for his peace-loving demeanour and propensity to roam alone, was the winner with more than 100,000 votes.
“Unlike many large adult male bears, Backpack hasn’t shown much aggression toward his competitors,” his contestant profile reads.
Backpack uses his “quiet strength” rather than brawling and is often seen in wildlife cameras sitting on a rock downstream, appearing to take in the scenery around him, it continues.
The contest, which is in its 12th year, allows viewers to observe some of the 2,200 brown bears that live in on the Alaska Peninsula as they fatten up for the winter. It started in 2014 as an interactive way to inform the public about the species but quickly ballooned into a hotly anticipated event.
Last year’s winner, Chunk, was dethroned by Bucky in the first round, who turned out to be a worthy opponent after losing a faceoff against Backpack, known officially as Bear 89, in the final round of voting.
Backpack, a curiously gentle figure, outweighed 16 bears from five bear families, including two subadults, four single adult females and five adult males who call Alaska’s Katmai National Park home, to secure the ultimate prize.
All voting was done online at http://www.fatbearweek.org, and the winner was declared Tuesday evening.
More on Trending More videos Six Flags permanently retires X2 roller coaster amid brain injury lawsuits Christa Pike is alive and receiving ‘life saving medical care,’ lawyers say ‘Trailer Park Boys’ actor Mike Smith has sexual assault charge dismissed Nearly dozen of Winnipeg school trustees acclaimed ahead of election Global News at 6 Regina: Sept. 30 Hundreds attend National Day for Truth and Reconciliation events in Calgary Man found dead in car that crashed at Portage and Main Nearly a dozen school trustees acclaimed
As the son of former champion Holly, Backpack comes from a line of Fat Bear Week victors. His name was inspired by his habit of climbing onto his mother’s back when they swam together.
His legacy forged a path for a new generation of cubs taking part in this year’s competition, which hosted the most beefed-up junior contenders it’s seen in a while, Park Superintendent Mark Sturm explained when voting opened in late September.
“There are more cubs at Brooks Camp this year than have been seen in a long time,” he said. “A new generation of fat bears is taking shape, and they’re off to a strong start. We’re excited to watch them grow and learn as they prepare for winter in Katmai’s incredible ecosystem.”
While the competition is all fun and games, stored body fat is what fuels the bears’ ability to hibernate over frigid winter months, during which time they don’t eat, drink, urinate, or defecate, meaning they have to pack on the pounds to survive six months without eating.
Adult male brown bears typically weigh 600 to 900 pounds (about 270 to 410 kilograms) in midsummer.
By the time they are ready to hibernate after feasting on migrating and spawning salmon, large males can weigh well over 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms). Females are about one-third smaller. The bears may each eat as many as 30 fish a day this time of year, working hard to eat a year’s worth of food in about six months.
