1,200-pound brown bear ‘chunk’ with broken jaw crowned champion of Fat Bear Week 2025

Chunk Crowned Champion of Alaska’s Fat Bear Week 2025 (Image: T. Carmack/@NatlParkService)

It is not a sporting rivalry or a political showdown but a furry face-off in the wild. Alaska’s most beloved brown bears have once again battled online for the title of the fattest of them all.

Who won this year’s Fat Bear Week contest?
A chunky contender named Chunk, officially known as bear 32, has claimed victory in this year’s Fat Bear Week, an annual online competition celebrating Alaska’s brown bears as they bulk up before winter hibernation. The contest, held in Katmai National Park and Preserve, invites people worldwide to vote for their favourite bear based on size and character. After a week of intense voting, Chunk defeated rival bear 856 in the final round with 60.2% of the votes, securing 96,350 votes compared to 856’s 63,725.

How did Chunk win over global voters?
Chunk’s story captured the hearts of voters not only because of his impressive size but also due to his resilience. Despite suffering a jaw injury that once threatened his ability to eat salmon, he managed to recover and thrive. He defeated another strong contender, bear 602 “Flotato,” in the semifinals with around 70% of the votes. Bear 856, meanwhile, eliminated last year’s champion, 128 Grazer, who was the final female in the competition.

What is the purpose of Fat Bear Week?
Fat Bear Week, launched in 2014, is more than just a light-hearted contest. It highlights the vital ecological role of brown bears and the conservation work done by park rangers at Katmai, the fourth-largest national park in the United States. The event also educates the public about the importance of weight gain for bears’ survival during Alaska’s harsh winters. Bears rely on stored fat while hibernating, with pregnant females often entering their dens earlier to prepare for giving birth.

Why is getting fat important for brown bears?
The contest’s motto, “fat bears are successful bears,” underlines the survival strategy of these animals. Extra weight increases their chances of enduring long months without food and ensures healthy reproduction. Viewers can watch the bears via live cameras as they fish for salmon in the weeks leading up to hibernation, witnessing nature’s preparation for the cold season.

Chunk’s triumph now places him in the Fat Bear Week Hall of Champions, where past winners are remembered for their seasonal success. While Chunk wears the crown this year, the competition reminds us that every well-fed bear is a winner in the wild.