Backpack pulled in 103,334 votes to claim the title, beating 910's 98,253 votes, according to Explore.org, which runs the annual contest. Both bears are offspring of a previous Fat Bear Week champion, making the final round a family affair among Katmai's brown bears. The weeklong contest asks the public to pick the chunkiest bear at the park. It highlights how much weight the animals pack on before winter.
The vote matters because Fat Bear Week has become one of the biggest annual showcases for Katmai, drawing attention and voters from across the country to a remote Alaska park most people will never visit in person. Katmai National Park said the turnout reflects more than just internet fun. "Your votes, your posts, your favorite bear campaigns, and your shared love for Katmai's wild places turned this week into a collective story shaped by thousands of voices," the park said, adding that the tradition "endures because people keep them alive."
Backpack now joins the ranks of past champions in a contest built entirely around bears bulking up to survive. Less than 5,100 votes separated first place from second.