Brooks River

The Brooks River, located within Alaska's Katmai National Park, is a notable location for its significant brown bear population. These bears congregate in the river to fish for salmon, particularly during the summer months. This year, the Brooks River has been the focal point of the annual Fat Bear Week competition, a public tournament celebrating the bears' success in fattening up for the winter. The competition, run by the US National Parks Service, involves public voting to determine the fattest bear. The recent winner, a 20-year-old brown bear known as '89 Backpack', secured the title by out-gobbling a competitor named 'Dancing Queen' (also referred to as 910). Backpack's victory highlights the importance of the Brooks River ecosystem as a vital feeding ground that supports the health and survival of these large mammals, making it a subject of interest and conservation efforts.