Fat Bear Week winner is crowned

The winner of the Katmai National Park and Preserve’s annual Fat Bear Week contest has been crowned.

Twelve big ‘n’ bulky bears battled it out to be crowned this year’s Fat Bear, but it was one “defensive mother bear” who beat her male competition and claimed her rightful place in the “Hall of Chompions.”

Grazer, who is said to be “thicker than a bowl of oatmeal,” blew her larger competitor Chunk out of the salmon-filled waters, receiving 108,321 votes to Chunk’s 23,134, according to Explore.org.

“The gutsy girl grounded the guy with a gut,” Katmai National Park posted on Facebook. “The Mondo mountain of a male, 32 chunk, proved his prominent posterior was worthy of a whopping win (Chin up, Chunk). But in the end, Chunk got Grazered.”

“Long live the Queen!”

Grazer, who is known for being “one of the fattest” at Brooks River, has successfully raised two litters of cubs, and is often found at loggerheads with her male companions.

The National Park Service said she “often preemptively confronts and attacks much larger bears — even large and dominant adult males.”

The Park Service said since she was seen dining in Katmai’s Brooks River in 2005, she has become “one of the best anglers at Brooks River.”

“She can fish successfully in many locations,” the Park Service said.

Although Grazer is now an empty nester, she is still remembered for her fierce devotion to her litter and revered by the other bears, who give her prime spots for fishing, which allowed her to fatten up on salmon and earn this year’s top spot.

“In summer 2023, many other bears remembered her reputation and Grazer maintained a high level of dominance even though she was single,” officials said. “Grazer’s combination of skill and toughness makes her one of Brooks River’s most formidable, successful, and adaptable bears.”

The “enigmatic” male bear Chunk reportedly has a very different personality to his female counterpart. In 2007, he was described as “an independent, chunky-looking 2.5-year-old bear” who enjoyed playing with other bears, but he was often unwilling to challenge other bears for top feeding spots.

Chunk reportedly became more assertive in 2023, according to the NPS, with Fat Bear Week 2022 champ - Bear 747 - yielding fishing spots and salmon to him, earning him a spot in the final round.

But it was not enough to beat Grazer, who saw off competition from Bear 747 as well as her own cub this year.

Fat Bear Week is held every year to celebrate the bears of Brooks River in Alaska as they finish their bulk before they go into hibernation for the winter.