Bear 32 'Chunk' Wins 2025 Fat Bear Week After Overcoming Injury

Bear 32, affectionately known as 'Chunk,' has been crowned the 2025 Fat Bear Week champion, triumphing over Bear 856 in the final round. This victory comes after Chunk's previous three years as runner-up in the annual competition held at Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve.

Fat Bear Week is an online contest where the public votes for the bear that best exemplifies fatness and success in preparation for hibernation. This year, over 1.5 million votes were cast, with Chunk receiving 96,350 votes to Bear 856's 63,725.

Chunk's journey to the title was particularly notable due to a broken jaw he sustained earlier this year, likely from a fight with another bear during mating season. Despite this injury, he adapted his fishing techniques and continued to gain weight, with estimates placing him at over 1,200 pounds.

"Chunk used his determination and adaptability to persevere through injury," the park noted in his profile. "He will need that ability indefinitely. His broken jaw is a permanent disability that will never return to normal."

The competition, now in its 11th year, aims to educate the public about brown bears and their ecosystem. The abundance of salmon this season contributed to the bears' substantial weight gain, with park officials noting it was the largest glut of salmon in recent memory.

"There have been big runs in the past, but nothing quite like this," said Mike Fitz, a naturalist for explore.org.

Chunk's victory is a testament to his resilience and the thriving ecosystem of Katmai National Park.