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REDSTATE (Ben Smith) - Heavy Is the Bear That Wears the Crown: Backpack Wins Fat Bear Week

Bear 89, better known as Backpack, has won Fat Bear Week. Ward Clark covered the memes last week, and now the bear who used to ride on his mother's back gets his own victory post.

Sourcehttps://redstate.com/ben-smith/2026/09/30/heavy-is-the-bear-that-wears-the-crown-backpack-wins-fat-bear-week-n2207558
Keywordsfat-bear-weekalaskabearwildlifenaturecaught-on-camerafunnymemesportsbiologyanimal-behaviorbrown-bearkatmai-national-parkusaamericaadventuresurvivalcompetitionviralentertainment
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Related article: AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith): Backpack wins Fat Bear Week crown as Katmai’s gentle giant •

From related AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith): Backpack wins Fat Bear Week crown as Katmai’s gentle giant
Where can the public observe the Katmai brown bears feeding on the Brooks River?
Fans can watch the bears via livestream cameras through explore.org to see them gorge on salmon, which begins returning to the Brooks River in late June.
Q&A ID 8d694a00-7022-4d60-be9d-29ae2985b275
From related AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith): Backpack wins Fat Bear Week crown as Katmai’s gentle giant
Who were the notable contestants in the recent Fat Bear Week bracket?
Backpack won the title, narrowly beating Bear 910 (the daughter of former champion 409 Beadnose). Other notable bears mentioned include Bucky, who defeated last year's winner Chunk (Bear 32) in the first round, and Bear 132, a large and experienced mother bear.
Q&A ID f70df3ed-a7da-4177-a732-38485495b383
From related AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith): Backpack wins Fat Bear Week crown as Katmai’s gentle giant
What is the history and purpose of Fat Bear Week?
Fat Bear Week is currently in its 12th year, having started in 2014. It is organized by a nonprofit to celebrate the resilience of the approximately 2,200 brown bears in Katmai National Park and Preserve and to provide the public with a way to learn about how these animals live.
Q&A ID c83f16a4-669a-444c-b019-9d30bbfcff11
From related AMERICANALMANAC (Sadie Smith): Backpack wins Fat Bear Week crown as Katmai’s gentle giant
What are the typical weight ranges for adult male and female brown bears in Katmai?
Adult males typically weigh between 600 and 900 pounds in midsummer and can exceed 1,000 pounds before hibernation. Females are noted to be about one-third smaller than the males.
Q&A ID f6bc2cf1-3a5c-48de-ad13-fe5c709a0b14

Related article: CNN (Youtube): Fat Bear Week’s newest winner is a nepo baby •

Related article: HUFFPOST (U.S. News): Gentle Giant Backpack Declared Winner Of Alaska's Fat Bear Week •

Related article: LIVENOW FROM FOX (Youtube): Fat Bear Week opens for Alaska’s heavyweight crown •

From related LIVENOW FROM FOX (Youtube): Fat Bear Week opens for Alaska’s heavyweight crown
What is the purpose of the Fat Bear Week contest held in Alaska?
Fat Bear Week is an annual contest that celebrates the success of bears as they prepare for their winter hibernation.
Q&A ID 41179629-8d27-42a7-806e-69c1b05003da
From related LIVENOW FROM FOX (Youtube): Fat Bear Week opens for Alaska’s heavyweight crown
When did online voting begin for the annual Fat Bear Week contest in Alaska?
Online voting for Fat Bear Week, an annual contest held in Alaska to celebrate bears preparing for winter hibernation, began on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
Q&A ID 6f0ea90a-7351-4a37-8792-7c1031de93f1

Related article: ABCNEWS (ABC News: Top Stories): WATCH: The annual Fat Bear Week tournament is underway •

Related article: AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams): Katmai’s Fat Bear Week puts Alaska’s heaviest brown bears up for a public vote •

From related AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams): Katmai’s Fat Bear Week puts Alaska’s heaviest brown bears up for a public vote
What did Katmai superintendent Mark Sturm observe regarding the bear population at Brooks Camp?
Katmai superintendent Mark Sturm stated that the nursery scene looks busy and that there are more cubs at Brooks Camp this year than have been seen in a long time, suggesting a new generation of fat bears is taking shape.
Q&A ID 562645b5-dfb7-429e-bf9f-7941235f09da
From related AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams): Katmai’s Fat Bear Week puts Alaska’s heaviest brown bears up for a public vote
What bear won the title last year, and what was notable about that bear?
Last year's title went to a bear named Chunk, who was noted for his size and his ability to bounce back after suffering a fractured jaw.
Q&A ID 2fe221a2-70db-4022-a609-78dffe60896f
From related AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams): Katmai’s Fat Bear Week puts Alaska’s heaviest brown bears up for a public vote
Which specific brown bears are mentioned as named contenders in this year's competition?
The named contenders for this year's competition include Gully, Walker, Backpack, and Bucky.
Q&A ID b9a977fb-635a-4910-9f50-110360ce972c
From related AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams): Katmai’s Fat Bear Week puts Alaska’s heaviest brown bears up for a public vote
Who started the Fat Bear Week tradition and how did it begin?
The event was started in 2014 by Mike Fitz, a Katmai park ranger. It began after he noticed a fan post side-by-side photos of the same bear from June and September on a live bearcam feed, illustrating how much the animal's weight had changed. It started as a one-day event called "Fat Bear Tuesday" on September 30, 2014, before growing into a full week-long tournament.
Q&A ID c7353f7c-5c78-46bb-b5d2-7f72016791d9

Related article: AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams): Fat Bear Week voting opens at Katmai after fans crash the site •

From related AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams): Fat Bear Week voting opens at Katmai after fans crash the site
Where can the public follow the Fat Bear Week matchups and bear progress?
Fans can follow the matchups and the progress of the bears through the park's official channels and the competition website tied to explore.org.
Q&A ID e4eb5f56-64b9-4775-9663-c693546e660e
From related AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams): Fat Bear Week voting opens at Katmai after fans crash the site
What did Katmai National Park Superintendent Mark Sturm say regarding the bear population at Brooks Camp?
Superintendent Mark Sturm stated that there are more cubs at Brooks Camp this year than have been seen in a long time, noting that a new generation of fat bears is taking shape and off to a strong start as they prepare for winter in Katmai's ecosystem.
Q&A ID cfba593e-8cbc-48b0-a07e-f7ac71dc23bc
From related AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams): Fat Bear Week voting opens at Katmai after fans crash the site
What happened to the official Fat Bear Week voting website when voting opened?
The official website crashed due to heavy traffic and a surge of fans overloading the site. Because of this, first-round voting, which opened on a Tuesday, had to be extended into Wednesday.
Q&A ID f5406216-36b9-451d-a428-ec0f0676c881
From related AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams): Fat Bear Week voting opens at Katmai after fans crash the site
Which specific bears are named as contenders in the Fat Bear Week bracket?
Named contenders include defending champion 32 Chunk, 89 Backpack, 151 Walker, 164 Bucky, 903 Gully, 284 Electra, 131 Marshmallow, and 428 Studious. Other bears in the bracket are known only by their numbers: 132, 610, 806, 901, 620, 694, 909, and 910.
Q&A ID e4fb95b7-a058-494a-bbe3-07654d5ba679

Related article: REDSTATE (Ward Clark): Alaska Fat Bear Week Memes Are Going Viral, They're So Hilarious •

From related REDSTATE (Ward Clark): Alaska Fat Bear Week Memes Are Going Viral, They're So Hilarious
What happens to the physical appearance of the bears when they emerge from hibernation?
When the bears emerge after their winter sleep, they are considerably deflated.
Q&A ID 2db4c1fd-1c38-4add-88a8-cd7446dfdf22
From related REDSTATE (Ward Clark): Alaska Fat Bear Week Memes Are Going Viral, They're So Hilarious
How much can these big fish-eating salmon beasts weigh?
These bears can reach half a ton by feasting on salmon to pack away the necessary calories for hibernation.
Q&A ID 1b72bc22-18dc-464d-9377-17e0fa5cdba3
From related REDSTATE (Ward Clark): Alaska Fat Bear Week Memes Are Going Viral, They're So Hilarious
Where can people observe bears fishing for salmon in Alaska?
Bears can be seen lined up along salmon-fishing streams, specifically in places like Katmai National Park, which is famous for its fishing bears.
Q&A ID 1ba35c0b-3be1-4f01-9706-50e52914e30d
From related REDSTATE (Ward Clark): Alaska Fat Bear Week Memes Are Going Viral, They're So Hilarious
What is the significance of bears packing on weight in Alaska during the fall season?
As fall returns to the Great Land, bears pack on weight to ensure they have enough calories to get them through their long winter sleeps (hibernation).
Q&A ID 00914050-8b52-490b-b7d8-a7bcf8bffdc6

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