Big burly beasts! Just like the average Canadian, grizzly bears have begun to prepare for the looming winter. Hibernation season is a reality that grizzlies like to enter in girth — with a widening waistline. This means of survival should be celebrated! For this reason, the US National Park Service (NPS) has a competition recognizing the bulkiest bears of bulking season from Katmai National Park & Preserve's Brooks River..Fat Bear Week (also known as FBW) winner in 2024 went to Grazer, who didn't just graze in preparation for hibernation — she engulfed.Grazer is a mother bear, winning the title two years in a row! According to the Sun, she weighs up to 800 lbs. She received a whopping 71,000 votes for her title in 2024 — and nobody can say she didn't work for it. She packed it on not just for winter, but to become a winner.But this meant her rival Chunk — big guys do sometimes finish second, especially if you're just not chunky enough. .Grazer received double the votes of Chunk in 2024.NPS said it best, announcing the nearing 2025 vote: "Big, bold, and bear-y round: a fat bear champ will soon be crowned!""This is how legends are made.""Fat Bear Week, the ultimate bracket competition where the public votes for the bear that achieves peak spherical status, is just around the corner!".NPS confirmed FBW will take place from September 23-30, and Fat Bear Junior taking place on September 18 and 19. FBW has been running since 2014. For more details about the upcoming 2025 FBW vote click the link here.
