Chunk, a roughly 1,200-pound brown bear with a broken jaw, won Katmai National Park’s popular Fat Bear Week on Tuesday, earning his first title after finishing second the past three years [thehill.com#2][abcnews.go.com#3][nypost.com#1]. The annual online, bracket-style competition lets the public watch 12 Katmai bears on live webcams and vote over a week [thehill.com#2][abcnews.go.com#3]. In the final round, Chunk (Bear 32) defeated Bear 856, according to the organizers’ posted totals [thehill.com#2].
Highlights:
- Breakthrough win: Chunk secured his first Fat Bear Week crown after three straight runner-up finishes, despite sporting a broken jaw and weighing an estimated 1,200 pounds [thehill.com#2][abcnews.go.com#3][nypost.com#1].
- How voting works: Fans follow 12 Katmai bears via live webcams and vote in a weeklong, single-elimination bracket to pick the fattest bear [thehill.com#2][abcnews.go.com#3].
- Final opponent: Chunk (Bear 32) topped Bear 856 in the championship matchup, per the organizers’ tally [thehill.com#2].
- Weight estimates: Organizers do not weigh individual bears for safety; past estimates have been supported by LIDAR density scans to bolster weight figures [thehill.com#2].
