It may be Fat Bear Week in Alaska, but Summit County’s bears haven’t yet reached their heaviest weights of the season
Fat Bear Week is an annual public voting competition in Alaska's Katmai National Park where people vote for which brown bear has gained the most weight before hibernation. The event has run for at least 12 years and is now in its 2026 edition. Bears competing for the title, including the defending champion Chunk, have been eating salmon throughout the summer to build up their weight. The competition is underway to determine this year's winner.
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The story so far
3 developments- Sep 18Only lean-left coverage:Fat Bear Week has returned – and the salmon are swimming for their lives
- Sep 19Fat Bear Week 2026: Meet the Bears Competing for the Katmai Crown
- Sep 22Fat Bear Week opens for Alaska’s heavyweight crown. Can Chunk, the 1,200-pound champ, win again?
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Quiet for 7 daysLast development · Sep 22 — Fat Bear Week opens for Alaska’s heavyweight crown. Can Chunk, the 1,200-pound champ, win again?
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12 viewpointsIt may be Fat Bear Week in Alaska, but Summit County’s bears haven’t yet reached their heaviest weights of the season
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2 viewpointsFat Bear Week opens for Alaska’s heavyweight crown. Can Chunk, the 1,200-pound champ, win again?
Fat Bear Week bracket is set: meet the heavyweights, underdogs and defending champ in this year's tournament
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1 articleFat Bear Week has returned – and the salmon are swimming for their lives
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