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Katmai National Park and Preserve announced that bear 89 nicknamed Backpack defeated bear 910 in the final of the 2026 Fat Bear Week competition with 103344 votes to 98253. The narrow victory margin of 5091 ballots came after a week of online voting that drew more than 2.5 million total votes from around the world according to multiple reports citing explore.org data. Katmai officials described the contest as a battle of size skill snack acquisition and strategic loafing while thanking the 16 bears that involuntarily participated in the single elimination bracket. The park service noted that both finalists were first time entrants in the championship round and that the event highlighted the bears resilience ahead of winter.
A U.S. Geological Survey assessment found that Katmai National Park and Preserve is home to more than 2200 brown bears which benefit from the abundant salmon runs in the region. Backpack whose official designation is bear 89 earned his nickname as a cub by climbing onto his mother Holly’s back while she waded through the salmon filled Brooks River. Holly previously won Fat Bear Week in 2019 and the park’s biography for Backpack highlights his recovery from a serious leg injury sustained as a young bear along with his preference for quiet toughness rather than aggression to secure fishing spots.
The National Park Service history page states that Fat Bear Week originated in 2014 as a one day event before expanding into a weeklong tournament the following year to educate the public about how coastal brown bears consume large quantities of salmon to build fat reserves. Organizers use before and after images along with live webcams at Brooks Falls to illustrate the animals preparation for up to six months of hibernation during which they can lose as much as one third of their body weight. A Smithsonian Magazine review of the event noted that participation has grown substantially since its inception with the competition now drawing viewers from more than 100 countries each year.
This year’s tournament according to CBS News reporting featured several storylines including the early elimination of the previous champion Chunk also known as bear 32 who fell in the first round. Backpack trailed in the semifinal against Bucky for much of the voting day before surging ahead by around 3000 votes in what rangers called one of the closest races in event history. Bear 910 the only female in the final is the daughter of former champion Beadnose further tying the matchup to notable bloodlines within the Brooks River bear community.
Explore.org livestreams allow global viewers to track the bears throughout the summer salmon run which provides the bulk of their pre hibernation nutrition according to park rangers. The Washington Post reported that Backpack has fewer scars than many male bears his age due to his less confrontational approach which has allowed him to thrive alongside larger competitors at the river. The competition also raises funds for the Katmai Conservancy supporting conservation efforts in the region through small donations and matching programs.
Park rangers have emphasized that the event helps the public understand the critical importance of the bears successful fattening period for survival. Backpack will now enter hibernation with the substantial fat stores that secured his title while fans continue to follow the bears via the explore.org platform in the months ahead. The National Park Service highlighted that such public engagement has grown steadily with previous editions attracting between 1.5 million and 1.7 million votes.
