Every winter, bears around the world hibernate, spending months at a time tucked away asleep. To prepare for hibernation, these bears will eat more than usual during the fall to store up body fat to last them throughout the winter hibernation.
The Katamai National Park decided to highlight the success brown bears – who reside in their park – have with preparing for hibernation. They call it “Fat Bear Week” where they have a daily competition between all their bears to find out which one the public thinks is the fattest, and most prepared for hibernation.
Katami Park is known for their annual Fat Bear Week and their awesome “bear cam,” where you can watch their bears at any time of the day! They also post highlights to their Facebook page, like the one below where upwards of 25 bears were seen hanging out in the river!
https://www.facebook.com/KatmaiNPP/videos/2216019728469606/
On October 1st, the National Park’s official Facebook page posted a reminder to all their followers.
“Fat Bear Week starts tomorrow and your favorite bear can’t win without you! Just because a boar is a giant among giants, doesn’t mean that a corpulent sow can’t beat him. Don’t forget about those multitasking moms who feed their cubs AND themselves to grow into fall fatties. After fighting with siblings and fishing to their hearts content, the young tikes have eaten their way into this Olympics of obesity. They can only win with your VOTE.”
https://www.facebook.com/KatmaiNPP/photos/a.569562089735260/2731079123583535/?type=3&theater
Bears were eliminated one by one, until only a single fat bear stood. That bear is one they call 435 Holly.
The Facebook post crowning her the winner says, “She is fat. She is fabulous. She is 435 Holly. And you voted her the 2019 Fat Bear Week Champion. All hail Holly whose healthy heft will help her hibernate until the spring. Long live the Queen of Corpulence!”
https://www.facebook.com/KatmaiNPP/posts/2750830801608367?__tn__=-R
Take a look at her other competitors who gave her a run for her money!
https://www.facebook.com/KatmaiNPP/posts/2733044030053711?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARB7kkgWTsTfDlMmNZsqNcoC6LVDfCozGpeMEcKGOl0f6H1xXx8oqMKxhm8Rtq-OqfFjCeSQefpw7O752RBGVNBXhZocMnkKXsMDofmsqiy3Vw-ubnUTEZAaQE-Wmi_uvN8r9SEzK4IdTvh55qVFFikepXKulGpCm-apKAybYdi5bx41AKMfAKQJjLFyo_GlkqjGJq0-HYXsoxGh2Xw44axcT4sYEEi4FbMFGvk0G7Fizt_UGxN97MMpw3lNWamBd5sGk7CofIr0kQjqqJJFAc1GpjIdPTiBVcVNZLlmLjq29b-HViBYOzsIIlF2JO8dz4_sof3xnW40uUnyl2y6hiZYPQ&__tn__=-R
https://www.facebook.com/KatmaiNPP/posts/2735701266454654?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCpdeawuoRyKVGjHTQ8IOIr7oV1ZmWgzIDthJXCk-L3kcl5sXLhOOgy9nu_T7Zf0YHRPqRJ3BosQBOMxsSFvyFhVy3bU5KOx4Ck_1lxrnQuizC2-EYuWCUQKWk3_AOvpn7OQdv5ACU2Q6c33TxyJEzFhwMYj5h231Q5F0A6zBgTQca_7fXiHG6BsUGUW1Md-VwvvCqGjbWZP67BlD0tvssTEC16MOnI8RvMzRChDjwyttIRuMoV9_q7mvkrD73vAF69virOfYLjQYBgSt2tHt73DJkxZJNJwgd_vhAD854tf0TpAtZi4F_We5vGBJcEeHEubaLXSfUCqC5qz3s0qDUUGA&__tn__=-R
https://www.facebook.com/KatmaiNPP/posts/2736102559747858?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARC_-aH3aMeeSAL-Yj8NDg-6rQSSMOxsx0qVCa9mgk8EDVLApkr9WF6RvSzXmkYSrgIr5iH0IrcUUBP8czkNb-iLwIEAk0XMZYgysUmHV4ARXMYzRrKc9BEUeaCD2FX28M6oOuCfjoSHRY0lG1Soqna5l9JxuNdV3uj_TSmaGAh08uxyImUv3qx4y6sJTkWWI5tgayjRbNC7L35nycO6_d5u2zXVySSz-KY71oTiQ9JjBxsAptgHbrKUU0v4rk5VzyZMj28MeYJXgeGEpbxQATUWpZ2Xl3ZX9-Zb4SBFeJCkUkzxnWe4UMxYDi59OUFKcszciJfKyuct86KcFpyd2VvUxQ&__tn__=-R
https://www.facebook.com/KatmaiNPP/posts/2736106376414143?__tn__=-R
https://www.facebook.com/KatmaiNPP/posts/2736114089746705?__tn__=-R
https://www.facebook.com/KatmaiNPP/posts/2736117273079720?__tn__=-R
Congrats to 435 Holly on this accomplishment!