Happy Fat Bear Week!

In what is a sure sign of the change of the seasons, Fat Bear Week is upon us again.

Each year the National Parks celebrates the preparation for hibernation by posting a bracket of some of the fattest bears in the Katami National Park and Reserve in Alaska and invites everyone to vote on them. What are the judging criterion? You’re looking for a bear best prepared to draw upon their fat reserves while they hibernate in a way that we all wish we could, so we could wake up and it’d be 2022. (Can you imagine how upsetting hibernation 2020 was for these bears? Yikes.)

This year, the competition is looking tough, but our personal odds on favorite are Otis and Chunky. (And it’s not solely because of Chunky’s name, but it certainly should be an indicator of his front runner status.

The first round has already occurred with Grazer, Walker, Otis and Unnamed bear 812 advancing to the second round. Otis has he work cut out for him as he going up against last year’s winner, Bear 747 who last year weighed 1,400 pounds. So, maybe another trip to the Olive Garden, Otis?

Make sure to cast your vote as the final winner will be announced October 5th as part of Fat Bear Tuesday.

Come on Chunky, we’re pulling for you!