The contest, now in its 12th year, celebrates the resilience of the 2,200 brown bears that inhabit the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula. Backpack was declared the winner of Fat Bear Week, recognized as the heaviest bear in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve, after receiving more than 100,000 votes, securing over 50 percent of the poll against Bear 910. The nonprofit organization overseeing the contest announced the results on September 30, 2026.
Fat Bear Week, initiated in 2014, aims to engage the public in learning about brown bears, which are coastal relatives of grizzlies. Last year's champion, Chunk (Bear 32), was eliminated in the first round this year by Bucky, who later lost to Backpack, officially known as Bear 89.
This year's event featured 16 bears competing in a single-elimination tournament format. Voting occurred online, with the final results announced after the last poll closed on Tuesday evening. Viewers could observe the bears via livestream on explore.org before casting their votes.
The nonprofit states on its website that “fat bears are successful bears,” as they consume large amounts of salmon returning to the Brooks River starting in late June. To qualify for the contest, bears must frequent the river area.
Backpack is the offspring of former champion Holly, who introduced him to the Brooks River when he was a cub in 2006. His name reflects his behavior of climbing onto his mother’s back while swimming. Supporters noted his lineage and gentle nature in comments on the contest's Instagram page. His profile highlights that he has not exhibited much aggression towards competitors, instead relying on his “quiet strength.”
He defeated Bear 910, who is the daughter of another former champion, 409 Beadnose. Adult male brown bears typically weigh between 600 and 900 pounds (270-410 kg) in midsummer, but can exceed 1,000 pounds (454 kg) by the time they hibernate after consuming migrating salmon. Females are generally about one-third smaller. During this season, bears may consume as many as 30 fish daily to prepare for winter hibernation, during which they do not eat or drink and can lose up to one-third of their body weight.
This year's contest also featured five bear families, acknowledging the record number of families and cubs at the river this summer. A mother bear must balance feeding and protecting her cubs while ensuring she consumes enough calories for hibernation. Bear 132 and her three spring cubs reached the semifinals but were defeated by Bear 910. Bear 132 is noted as one of the largest and most experienced mothers at Brooks River. In mid-July, one of her cubs was temporarily separated from the family but was later reunited.