Fat Bear Week 2022

Fat Bear Week 2022 is from October 5th through October 11th. Since 2014, people have been voting for their favorite chubby bear from Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Right now is the time when bears are preparing for the long winter and gain a few pounds. Some of us can relate when cabin fever hits us. Bears can gain over a hundred pounds in six months. And the dramatic weight gain can be very impressive.

One Big Happy Bear Family

This year, the rangers looking over the bears discovered something incredible. There is nothing like seeing a brown bear in the wild or a cub thriving with its mother. But to see two bear mothers with their cubs is unheard of. In most cases, bears stick to themselves. A mother and her cub stay together until the cub is ready to go off on its own.

Bear 909 and bear 910, offsprings of bear Katmai bear 409, have been seen together with their cubs. Like us, the mothers took their cubs fishing for salmon. The yearling bears watched as their mothers provided them with deliciously fresh Alaskan salmon. Naomi Boak, former media ranger at the preserve, saw the bears play together, walk together, fish, and relax. To her, this is the story of the year.

This also proves that when circumstances are right, bears can thrive together and form bonds. In the case of bear 909 and 910, they are siblings. Just two sisters who are raising their kids together in Alaska’s wilderness. Maybe we should all rewatch Brother Bear now. Let’s see if the cubs and moms stick together next year as well.

Fat Bear Week 2022 Winner

Did you vote for your favorite Fat Bear Week 2022 bear? The votes open from 9am Pacific Time/12PM Eastern time until 9PM. I love all the fat bears and can’t get enough!