Encourages Bear supporters, in reference to Grazer.
With a lustrous coat and a healthy layer of fat around their ribs, that's how a bear lovingly prepares for their winter slumber in Alaska. In this Alaskan territory, there's a yearly celebration honoring this HD-worthy sight. This year's "Big Bear Blowout" had a clear winner.
Brought back for another victory lap is bear 435, who goes by the charming title of Grazer. In the ultimate showdown of the "Big Bear Blowout" in Alaska, Grazer, with her distinguishing badger-esque ears, outshone male bear 32 Chunk (Chunk translates to "block" in German). Just like the previous year, these two behemoths found themselves in the final round of the competition. In 2023, Grazer, donning the number 128, secured the title once more.
The local park's administration shared their delight for the "voluptuous" bear on Instagram on a Tuesday evening (local time). Grazer garnered an impressive number of votes (over 71,000) far surpassing her opponent's count (approximately 30,000).
Exuberant congratulatory messages poured in for the "queen" on Instagram. "Cheers to you, mothers everywhere," wrote one admirer. "Raise your glass to the queen," commended a dedicated bear enthusiast. "Congratulations also to Chunk. You're both champions of the bear kingdom," shared a well-wisher. "Poor Chunk with his generously endowed rump," one user sympathized with the defeated opponent.
A fierce competition
For the tenth consecutive year, the park in southwest Alaska celebrated "Plump Bear Palooza." Six females and six males were in the running for the peculiar title for a week. After six rounds of popular voting, only two competitors remained on the online platform "Explore.org." Over a million votes were cast from all corners of the world.
The competition was nothing short of colossal. Bear 747, also known as "Jumbo Jet," who emerged victorious in 2022, had drastically bulked up through the summer by feasting on salmon. Bear number 903, nicknamed "Gully," a seasoned salmon lover and seagull enthusiast, was also in the running.
Enthusiasts could watch the hopefuls snatching salmon from the rapids of the Brooks River through webcams, observe their transformations, and vote for their favorites. Prior to the spring, the bears looked impossibly thin, but by the fall, they were in need of chubby reserves to make it through the winter without food.
Not just the estimated final weight plays a role in determining the competition's victor, but other factors including eating habits, temperament, and fishing skills also impact the outcome.
Chunk vs. Grazer
Finalist Chunk put on a considerable amount of weight and grew more authoritative over the summer, claimed naturalist Mike Fitz during a video call on the "Big Bear Blowout" website. He did whatever he felt like, completely disregarding the feelings of other bears. Grazer was celebrated for her remarkable fishing abilities and tenacity as a protective mother bear.
Chunk, estimated to weigh 1102 lbs with a scar on his nozzle, captivates with his powerful haunches and bulging belly. He has participated in the competition several times, but never claimed the grand prize. Female bears weigh around a third less than male brown bears, yet Grazer showcased her prodigious form.
In July, an unfortunate confrontation between Grazer and Chunk took place in the Brooks River while they both were attempting to snag some salmon. Grazer's two delicate cubs were swept away during an unfortunate incident right into Chunk's fishing perch. Chunk attacked the cubs, causing severe injuries to one of the young siblings, who later succumbed to his injuries. Webcams recorded the ordeal, showing Grazer's desperate struggle to protect her cub.
Celebrating the Competition
Following Grazer's proclamation as the "Big Bear Blowout" champion, the national park paid homage to all their plump citizens in Katmai on Instagram and thanked the salmon. "Without the salmon's outstanding health, we wouldn't have these superbly chubby bears," the post declared.
The Katmai Park leverages this peculiar competition to educate people about the ecosystem and habitat of their 2000+ brown bears in the region, and to raise awareness of threats. The area boasts one of the world's largest brown bear and salmon populations. A potential catastrophe could occur if, for instance due to climate change, the fish populations were to dwindle, warned park officials.
During the celebrations, people often marveled at the other animals that shared the Alaskan territory with the celebratory bears. For instance, seagulls like Gully were observed alongside the bears, vying for salmon in the Brooks River.
Moreover, the presence of various fish species, particularly salmon, was crucial for the success of the competition. Without the abundant salmon population, the bears would not have been able to bulk up for the winter, leading to less impressive victors in the "Big Bear Blowout."
