An annual tradition in Alaska that has taken the internet by storm over the last few years is back.
Voting is now open for Fat Bear Week, put on by the Katmai National Parks service in Alaska.
“Running from September 23-30, 2025. The annual fan-favorite celebration of brown bear resilience and survival invites the global public to crown the bear who has used smarts and determination to best prepare for winter,” Explore.org wrote.
Voters can compare photos of the bears from the summer to present day, where they are trying to fatten up for winter hibernation. Live camera feeds are also available.
Katmai National Park’s first fat bear tournament took place in October 2014. Park rangers hosted “Fat Bear Tuesday,” a one-day online event on the park’s Facebook page.
Because the event was well received by the public, former ranger Mike Fitz decided to expand it.
The first Fat Bear Week occurred in 2015. To allow more people to participate on an international scale, rangers from Katmai National Park transitioned the event to FatBearWeek.org in 2020.
“This is a single elimination tournament. For each match-up, vote for the bear you believe best exemplifies fatness and success in brown bears. The bear with the most votes advances to the next round. Only one will be crowned Fat Bear Week champion,” Explore.org wrote.
About 1.2 million votes were cast from more than 100 countries in Fat Bear Week 2024.
You can even make your own Fat Bear Week bracket.