LIVE: Fat Bear Week Begins

Gather "round" and find out how you can pick the winner.

It’s the event we wait for all year long: the biggest bracket of the year.

The survival of the fattest is underway with the 2021 Fat Bear Bracket out this morning.

And we’ve got a look at some of the top players in the running to be the biggest, fattest bear in the Katmai National Park, in Alaska.

Katmai is home to some of the biggest brown bears in North America year-round.

Then they spend all season long stuffing their faces full of fish, berries, nuts, and especially salmon.

They stock up their body fat supplies to survive hibernation through the long cold winter.

They all do it… but only one of Katmai Park’s brown bears can be the fattest.

It’s not just for bragging rights… this is truly a contest of survival.

You can download your blank bracket starting now to compete from Wednesday, September 29th to October 5th.

In the words of the Katmai naturalists, your vote decides who is the fattest of the fat.

You just click on the bear you want to vote for and see who comes out on top (of the scale).

Holly, Otis, Grazer, Walker and Chunk are just some of the contenders this year.

Some are returning champions from years past.

The naturalists have some great tips on how to choose which bear to vote for, and a sliding comparison image of each bear from their usual trim appearances to their Fat Bear physiques.

Check it out and cast your vote here:

https://www.nps.gov/katm/learn/fat-bear-week.htm

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