Katmai National Park expands Fat Bear Week bracket to 16 bears for 2026 competition
The annual Fat Bear Week tournament in Alaska will feature 16 brown bears, up from 12, as officials note a surge in cub numbers and a new generation of bears preparing for hibernation.
Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska announced a 16-bear bracket for the 2026 Fat Bear Week tournament, the largest field since the event began. The single-elimination competition, which starts on Sept. 22 with public voting, will determine which brown bear has gained the most weight for winter hibernation.
Park Superintendent Mark Sturm said a recent increase in cubs at Brooks Camp signals a generational shift in the ecosystem. "There are more cubs at Brooks Camp this year than have been seen in a long time," he said in a news release. "A new generation of fat bears is taking shape, and they're off to a strong start."
New entrants include Bear 89, nicknamed "Backpack" after an injury that required him to ride on his mother’s back as a cub, and Bear 151 Walker, noted as a dominant presence on the river. The bracket will be posted online, and viewers can watch the bears via webcams on Explore.org.
Ranger Sarah Bruce reminded voters to consider the challenges bears face, especially adult females caring for cubs. "When you're voting, consider the challenges of a bear's life," she said. "Trust your gut and go with whatever you think the fattest bear is."
The park reported a record 37 cubs at Brooks River this year, according to former ranger Mike Fitz, now a naturalist with Explore.org. Several cubs and their mothers are included in the bracket, highlighting the role of family units in the bears' preparation for winter.
Fat Bear Week, which began in 2014, serves as an educational tool about brown bears, sockeye salmon and the broader ecosystem. The event attracted more than 1.7 million votes from over 100 countries in the previous year.