Alaska’s biggest brown bears are once again competing for online glory as Fat Bear Week 2026 officially opened on September 22, with defending champion Chunk returning to the tournament.
Known officially as Bear 32, Chunk won last year’s competition after reaching an estimated 1,200 pounds, or about 544 kilograms. Despite the AsiaOne headline referring to Chunk as 5,400kg, that figure is incorrect; current reports from the National Park Service and Associated Press put his 2025 estimated weight at about 1,200 pounds.
The annual competition at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve features 16 brown bears competing in a single-elimination bracket. Public voting will determine this year’s champion, with the winner scheduled to be announced on September 29.
Among Chunk’s challengers is Gully, also known as Bear 903, the offspring of two-time Fat Bear Week champion Grazer.
The competition celebrates how Katmai’s brown bears build up vital fat reserves before winter by feeding heavily on salmon. Adult male brown bears can gain substantial weight during the summer feeding season, with some large males exceeding 1,000 pounds before entering winter hibernation.
Fat Bear Week began in 2014 as an educational initiative highlighting the lives and survival strategies of Katmai’s brown bears. The National Park Service said more than 1.7 million votes were cast by people from over 100 countries during last year’s contest.
Fans can follow the bears through live cameras and vote online throughout the competition. With Chunk back in the field and 15 challengers looking to take the crown, this year’s tournament is once again turning Alaska’s salmon-fed giants into an international online sensation.
