Every fall, Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve holds a special event called “Fat Bear Week.” This is a celebration of the brown bears that live in the park and their incredible ability to pack on pounds before the long, harsh winter.

During the summer months, the bears in Katmai gorge themselves on salmon that swim up the rivers to spawn. This allows the bears to build up a thick layer of fat that will sustain them through the winter when food is scarce. By the time autumn arrives, these bears can weigh up to 1,000 pounds!

Fat Bear Week is a friendly competition where people vote for the bear they think has gained the most weight and become the “fattest” bear. Webcams set up in the park allow people from all over the world to watch the bears and follow their progress as they prepare for winter. The bear that is crowned the “Fat Bear Champion” is the one that has managed to store the most fat reserves, making it the most likely to survive the cold months ahead.

This annual event is not only fun, but it also helps people appreciate the incredible adaptations of these amazing animals. The bears’ ability to rapidly gain weight is crucial for their survival, and Fat Bear Week celebrates this remarkable feat of nature. By learning about the bears of Katmai, students can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges animals face in the wild and the incredible ways they have evolved to meet those challenges.