Fat Bear Week 2024: 128 Grazer Crowned Champion Amidst Dramatic Events

Fat Bear Week 2024 concluded with 128 Grazer securing the title of the fattest bear at Katmai National Park & Preserve. The annual online competition, now in its 10th year, celebrates the resilience and adaptability of the park’s brown bears. This year, 128 Grazer faced off against 32 Chunk, repeating last year’s finals and triumphantly doubling Chunk’s votes with 71,248 to his 30,468.

Katmai National Park initiated the contest to raise public awareness about the brown bears of Alaska. It has become a popular autumn ritual akin to viewing fall foliage, inviting global participation and ending with over 1 million votes this year.

The competition not only showcases the bears’ fattening for hibernation but also highlights the harsh realities of their lives. An incident in July 2024 emphasized this when Grazer’s cubs were swept down Brooks Falls towards 32 Chunk. In defending her cubs, Grazer was unable to prevent one cub’s injury by Chunk, resulting in its death. The surviving cub competed in the Fat Bear Junior contest but lost to 909 Jr.

Adding to the drama, the live cam captured a violent encounter last week when Bear No. 469 attacked and killed Bear No. 402. The event temporarily delayed contest updates as officials managed the fallout. Mike Fitz, an Explore.org naturalist, commented on the bears’ inherent power and strength, noting the necessity of their struggle for sustenance.

These bears spend the short summer and autumn months building fat reserves, critical for their hibernation survival through Alaskan winters. The National Park Service explains that bears can lose up to one-third of their weight during this period in the dens. For bears at Katmai, a diet of abundant salmon is essential from late June through September, underscoring the importance of competition and survival skills observed throughout Fat Bear Week.