Meet Backpack, Fat Bear Week’s chunky champ
A 20-year-old brown bear named Backpack has been crowned the 2026 Fat Bear Week champion at Katmai National Park. The competition, which drew over 2.3 million votes, celebrates the bears' successful weight gain in preparation for winter hibernation.
Why it matters
Fat Bear Week serves as a popular educational tool for wildlife conservation and public engagement with national park ecosystems.
Twitter LinkedIn Email Bluesky explore.org Backpack is a fat bear on Brooks River. He's the offspring of Holly, the 2019 Fat Bear Week Champion. A bulky brown bear who became famous for hitching rides on his mama's back is the 2026 Fat Bear Week champion.
Backpack, also known as Bear 89, claimed his victory Tuesday evening, a week after the Katmai bears broke the internet as people logged on to vote for their favorite bear. Officials say more than 2.3 million votes were cast this year from all over the world.
Katmai park ranger Sarah Bruce said Backpack has a large following of loyal fans. Backpack beat the other finalist, Bear 910, by roughly 5,000 votes.
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