2024 Fat Bear Week Chooses Fattest Bear of the Year
On Oct. 8, Grazer, a dominant female brown bear from Alaska’s Katmai National Park, won the 2024 Fat Bear Week contest, overcoming a tragic year and besting her rival, Chunk. Grazer, identified as Bear 128, secured over 70,000 votes, while Chunk, weighing more than 544 kg, received around 30,000.
The contest, hosted by the nature site explore.org, invites the public to vote for the bear most prepared for winter hibernation. This year, the park and contest officials delayed posting the brackets by a day after a bear contestant unexpectedly killed another.
Grazer’s victory was particularly dramatic, considering the history shared between her and fellow finalist Chunk. In July, two of Grazer’s cubs fell down a waterfall and were carried downstream near Chunk, “the most dominant bear on the river,” according to explore.org. Chunk attacked the cubs, fatally injuring one. The surviving cub competed in the Fat Bear Junior contest. The fierce mother bear beat Chunk to the Fat Bear Week title last year, making this her second win.
Luis Apolo Staff Reporter junior/1728632616/1613367813
1. Who won the 2024 Fat Bear Week contest?
2. How many votes did Grazer receive compared to Chunk?
3. What happened to two of Grazer’s cubs in July?
4. How many times has Grazer won the Fat Bear Week contest?
1. If you could vote for a bear in Fat Bear Week, what would you look for when choosing the winner?
2. Have you ever seen a bear in real life or learned about them? What do you find interesting about bears?
3. Why do you think bears need to prepare so much for hibernation in winter?
4. How do you feel about contests like Fat Bear Week that help people learn more about wildlife?
On Oct. 8, Grazer, a dominant female brown bear from Alaska’s Katmai National Park, won the 2024 Fat Bear Week contest, overcoming a tragic year and besting her rival, Chunk. Grazer, identified as Bear 128, secured over 70,000 votes, while Chunk, weighing more than 544 kg, received around 30,000.
