Backpack the 'Gentle Giant' Crowned Alaska's Fat Bear Week Champion

Backpack, a brown bear known for his docile demeanor, has been declared the winner of Alaska's annual Fat Bear Week competition. The nonprofit organizing the event announced Tuesday that Backpack, officially designated Bear 89, received over 100,000 votes, narrowly defeating his competitor, Bear 910.

This marks the 12th year for the contest, which celebrates the resilience of the roughly 2,200 brown bears inhabiting Katmai National Park and Preserve. Established in 2014, Fat Bear Week serves as an engaging method to educate the public about the coastal brown bears found on the Alaska Peninsula.

The competition features a single-elimination bracket format, with 16 bears vying for the championship title. All voting takes place online at www.fatbearweek.org. The bears' progress and eating habits are observable via livestream cameras provided by explore.org.

According to the nonprofit, "Fat bears are successful bears." These bears feast on the abundant salmon runs that enter the Brooks River in late June, accumulating the necessary fat reserves to survive the winter hibernation period. To be eligible for the contest, bears must regularly frequent the area around the Brooks River.

Backpack's lineage traces back to a former Fat Bear Week champion, Holly, who introduced him to the Brooks River as a cub in 2006. His nickname derives from his childhood habit of riding on his mother's back while she swam. This year, fans lauded Backpack's heritage and reputation as a "gentle giant" in online comments, noting his lack of aggression towards other bears.

His contestant profile highlights his "quiet strength" over aggressive behavior. Wildlife cameras often capture Backpack resting on a rock by the river, seemingly observing his surroundings.

Backpack's final opponent, Bear 910, is also the offspring of a previous champion, 409 Beadnose.

Adult male brown bears typically weigh between 600 and 900 pounds by midsummer. After consuming large quantities of migrating and spawning salmon, their weight can exceed 1,000 pounds before they enter hibernation. During hibernation, bears do not eat or drink, and they can lose up to one-third of their body weight.

This year's event also included five bear families, acknowledging a record number of cubs observed at the river. Mother bears must balance the challenges of feeding and protecting their cubs with their own caloric needs for hibernation. Cubs are particularly vulnerable to attacks from other bears due to territorial disputes and food scarcity.

Bear 132, accompanied by her three cubs, reached the semifinals but was ultimately eliminated by Bear 910. Bear 132 is recognized as one of the largest and most experienced mother bears at Brooks River. In mid-July, one of her cubs was briefly separated from the family but was later reunited.