May the chunkiest bear win.
Katmai National Park and Preserve
Officials at Katmai National Park and Preserve in King Salmon, Alaska host an online vote every year to determine which resident takes the title of heftiest bear in the park.
Fat Bear Week is a beloved, national spectacle that sheds light on a natural biological process that all bears go through.
The scientific name for this phenomenon is hyperphagia, a condition where bears’ brains tell them to eat nonstop so that they’ll bulk up for hibernation.
There is no official criteria, according to the official Fat Bear Week FAQ. Maybe you want to give kudos to a novice competitor or cast your ballot for whoever has had the most stunning transformation.
Hal Beral/Corbis/Getty Images
Voting opens September 29 on the Fat Bear Week website. The 2021 winner will be crowned, virtually, on October 5.