Fat Bear Week resumes after fatal bear fight

2 Chunk is an estimated 1,200-pound-plus brown bear. Photo: E. Johnston // National Park Service

Unfortunately, leading up to this year's competition, two bears clashed on Sept 30 at Katmai National Park and Preserve, resulting in one bear eventually overpowering and killing the other

KING SALMON, Alaska — For brown bears along Brooks River in Katmai National Park, making it through the winter is a matter of survival of the biggest. The bears in this area are some of the largest in the world, according to explore.org, the organization that hosts the Fat Bear Week competition. The abundance of salmon in Brooks River provides a rich and nutritious food source for the bears.

Katmai and explore.org partner yearly to celebrate the chonkiest bears in a friendly “Fat Bear Week” competition.

Unfortunately, leading up to this year’s competition, two bears clashed on September 30 at Katmai National Park and Preserve, resulting in one bear eventually overpowering and killing the other. The attack was caught live on one of the famous Bear Cams, and park staff were alerted to the incident via vigilant Bear Cam followers.

Katmai and Explore.org, which runs the Bear Cams, postponed the Fat Bear Week bracket announcement because of the incident.

It’s unclear how or why the fight began, but the brutal exchange lasted over 20 minutes and resulted in 469 killing 402. The entire battle occurred in the water, and the experts believe the cause of death was ultimately drowning rather than a physical trauma or wound.

Remembering 402

Park staff and Bear Cam fans are mourning 402’s death. Bruce, a ranger at Katmai, expressed that while she typically has a personal rule not to choose “favorites” with the bears, she has always had a special place in her heart for 402.

Fat Bear Week

The annual Fat Bear Week competition is now open and runs from October 2–8, 2024. The public is invited to weigh in on the hefty brown bears that have been bulking up on wild Alaskan salmon in preparation for winter.

Visit the site to vote

This 10th anniversary event celebrates both the bears’ survival instincts and the thriving ecosystem of Katmai. Voting is conducted online at fatbearweek.org, with head-to-head matchups leading to the crowning of the 2024 Fat Bear Week champion on October 8.

“Fat Bear Week satisfies your hunger for bears, salmon, and the other wonders of Katmai,” said park superintendent Mark Sturm.

Nearly 1.4 million votes were cast in 2023 from participants in over 100 countries. Fans can follow the action via live cams on Explore.org.

View the live bear cam

Bracket standings as of Oct 3