The votes are in and this massive, 'easy-going' bear took the crown to win Alaska's 2026 Fat Bear Week
After a tough competition, the crown went to Bear 89, also known as Backpack, who defeated Bear 910 in the final round at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve.
FILE: Watch: Bear caught on video breaking into Colorado yard in search of late-night snack
Video from Sept. 1, in Arvada, Colorado, shows a bear ripping through a gate to get to three trash cans in search of food in the middle of the night.
THE TAKEAWAY:
- Bear 89, also known as Backpack, was crowned the winner of the annual Fat Bear Week competition.
- Backpack is a large adult male with dark brown fur and is known for his easy-going demeanor.
- He also comes from a family of Fat Bear Week champions. His mother, Holly, won the competition in a previous year.
The annual Fat Bear Week crowned its winner Tuesday, and this year’s champion was one seriously chunky bear.
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After a tough competition, the crown went to Bear 89, also known as Backpack, who defeated Bear 910 in the final round at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve.
The competition drew more than 2.3 million people from around the world. Backpack pulled in more than 103,000 votes, edging out 910, who earned more than 98,000 votes.
Backpack is a large adult male with dark brown fur and is known for his easygoing demeanor.
(National Park Service / FOX Weather)
Backpack is a large adult male with dark brown fur and is known for his easy-going demeanor, but he isn’t afraid to stand his ground when necessary.
He also comes from a family of Fat Bear Week champions. His mother, Holly, won the competition in a previous year.
As a young cub, he suffered a significant leg injury that left many park staff members wondering whether he would survive. But his leg eventually healed, and Backpack went on to become a consistent presence in the park.
Backpack prevailed by just over 5,000 votes, securing his place as the newest Fat Bear Week champion.
(Katmai National Park & Preserve / FOX Weather)
Unlike many large adult male bears, Backpack hasn’t shown much aggression toward his competitors. Instead, he often relies on quiet strength to gain access to preferred fishing spots.
That quiet toughness has allowed Backpack to carve out his own niche alongside some of the biggest bears in Katmai National Park.
Fat Bear Week is an annual competition celebrating the bears of Katmai National Park and Preserve as they pack on pounds ahead of winter hibernation.
Brown bears fishing for salmon in Alaska.
(Ronald C. Modra / Getty Images)
This year’s competition began Sept. 22, giving the public a chance to vote online for their favorite contender.
Bears were from different age and sex groups, including adult males, adult females, cubs and family groups. They all competed in different brackets to secure the winning title.
A Brown bear catches food at the top of Brooks Falls at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
(Hu Xiaolin/VCG / Getty Images)
Backpack cruised through his second-round matchup against Bear 620, winning with a commanding majority of the vote. He then narrowly survived a semifinal showdown against Bear 164.
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That set up the championship matchup against Bear 910, who had already battled his way through the competition.
In the end, Backpack prevailed by just over 5,000 votes, securing his place as the newest Fat Bear Week champion.