SPOKANE, Wash. — If you ever wanted a chance to weigh in on the fattest bears at a U.S. National Park, now is your chance.
Between Oct. 3 and Oct 9, officials at Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska are working to promote “Fat Bear Week.”
It’s a simple competition. The social media page for the national park lets followers vote on which bears are bulking up the most for the upcoming hibernation.
For brown bears, putting on some extra weight ahead of winter could mean the difference between life and death. According to the park’s website, a brown bear can lose up to one-third of its body mass during hibernation.
To fight that weight loss, park officials say brown bears can add up to four pounds of weight per day while they are bulking up before the winter slumber.
That is clearly shown by Bear 409, also known as Beadnose. Park officials shared two separate photos of the bear, exactly three months apart.
As Beadnose shows and park officials confirm, brown bears gain the most weight in October.
“Fat Bear Week” only allows one bear to come out on top. You can vote through Oct. 9, 2018 on the Katmai National Park & Preserve Facebook Page.
According to the national park’s website, this competition started in 2014 and continued ever since.
There’s no clear reasoning as to why one bear may be victorious in the vote over another. It could be because of sheer bulk or it could be because of rugged good looks. Either way, diet is key for the bear’s survival.
“Fat Bear Week” is not the only claim to fame for the Katmai national Park & Preserve’s brown bears. Some have previously made appearances on the live camera on the national park’s website, available for streaming.