A Bear Who Never Hurried Finally Wins the Race

There is something disarming about a contest where the goal is simply to be fat. No cunning, no strategy, no sharp elbows—just the slow, patient work of eating enough salmon to survive a winter that would otherwise kill you. In Alaska's Katmai National Park, this annual competition has become a quiet celebration of survival, and this year's winner is a bear who has never been in a hurry.

Backpack, a 20-year-old male brown bear officially known as Bear 89, has won Fat Bear Week 2026. He defeated Bear 910, a female known as Dancing Queen, by a margin of about 5,000 votes out of roughly 200,000 cast in the final round. More than 2.3 million votes were cast overall during the week-long competition .

The name Backpack came from his habit as a cub of climbing onto his mother's back while she swam across the Brooks River. His mother, Holly, won Fat Bear Week in 2019, making this something of a family tradition . At around 1,200 pounds, he is now a clear fan favorite, according to Katmai park ranger Sarah Bruce .

What distinguishes Backpack is not just his size but his temperament. Unlike many large adult male bears, he has shown little aggression toward competitors. His contestant profile notes that he "hasn't shown much aggression." Rangers describe him as a stoic presence on the river, one who holds his own quietly . He previously suffered a leg injury that left him with a limp and has adapted his lifestyle, preferring to spend time lazing on a rock rather than fighting .

The bears of Katmai spend summer and early autumn gorging on salmon, bulking up before a five-month hibernation during which they will not eat or drink. Their bodies slow all functions as they shelter from the harsh Alaskan winter. The competition, while lighthearted, helps raise awareness of brown bears and the risks they face from human activity .

This year's voting proved so popular that the official voting site crashed on the first day of ballots . The final margin was razor-thin—103,344 votes for Backpack to 98,253 for Dancing Queen . For a bear who has never sought drama, the attention may be unfamiliar. But for the park and the species, the interest is welcome.

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Sources: BBC, UPI, Daily Mail, NZ Herald, ORF