Alaska Fat Bear Week: Dominant and defensive mother Grazer crowned champion in annual contest | World News

Alaska’s ‘Fat Bear Week’: Grazer Claims Victory

A brown bear, affectionately dubbed Grazer, has triumphed as the heavyweight champion of Alaska’s annual Fat Bear Week contest. This year, the competition was particularly fierce as Grazer faced off against her appropriately named opponent, Chunk.

Grazer, a formidable mother bear, is one of around 2,200 brown bears residing in Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve. She’s gained fame for her gutsy nature, not hesitating to challenge alpha males when it comes to safeguarding her precious cubs.

What sets Grazer apart is her incredible fishing skills, earning her the title of “one of the best anglers” from park officials. She’s known for her ability to chase down fish, even if they try to make a quick getaway.

The Fat Bear Week competition isn’t just a local affair; it’s a global showdown. People from 100 different countries cast more than 1.3 million votes, setting a record for the contest. Grazer’s fan base rallied behind her, contributing 108,321 votes in the final showdown, ensuring her victory.

Katmai National Park proudly announced Grazer’s induction into the Fat Bear Week “Hall of Chompions” on Facebook, cheekily stating, “The gutsy girl grounded the guy with a gut. The Mondo mountain of a male, 32 Chunk, proved his prominent posterior was worthy of a whopping win. But in the end, Chunk got Grazered! Let’s crown our queen that’s thicker than a bowl of oatmeal, 128 Grazer!” They also extended their commiserations to the runner-up, Chunk.

In the bear world, it’s all about bulking up to survive the harsh winter hibernation. The park declared that all the competitors were winners, emphasizing that “in the bear world, fat equals success.”

As winter approaches, the bears of Katmai will prepare for their long hibernation, which lasts from late October until spring. During hibernation, their bodies go into a state called hyperphagia, where the hormone that signals fullness stops working. Ranger Naomi Boak explained this to Sky News’ US partner, NBC News.

This quirky competition was the brainchild of naturalist Mike Fitz, who initiated Fat Bear Tuesday in 2014 to celebrate the bears as they packed on the pounds. Due to its immense popularity, the idea evolved into a week-long event, continuing each year.