Southwest

The winner of Katmai National Park’s Fat Bear Week is 747 Bear Force One, who weighs in at 1,400 pounds. People around the world voted in the competition for the park’s biggest brown bear. The tournament has gotten so popular that the state’s largest newspaper hired a writer to cover it.

Juneau-based writer Christy NaMee Eriksen is a self-described superfan of the fat bears in Katmai National Park.

“You just look at two pictures of bears and you’re determining which one is chonkier, it’s just wonderful. It’s delightful,” she said during a recent interview over Zoom.

Eriksen started following Fat Bear Week during the pandemic in 2020. This month, she poured her knowledge into daily reports tracking the tournament’s big brown bears for the Anchorage Daily News. Watching the bears provides relief and comfort — not just in the pandemic, but in everyday life.

Eriksen is a poet, and she takes her inspiration from the natural world.

“As I learned more about the bears I thought there were so many really wonderful stories that could be told about them. As a writer, I’m most interested in: How can that connect back to my own experience of what it’s like to be a person in this world?” she said.

“But Holly is more than a bear who is heavy; she is a bear who knows heavy. She has witnessed the traumatic loss of her child, and she sat with that loss for five years. Anyone who knows grief knows you don’t need a tree to feel stuck somewhere for hours. Anyone who knows grief knows what it’s like to cry someone’s name and never have them return. Why did 435 Holly adopt 503 Cubadult? Everyone asks; no one knows. They were not related. And yet, they could relate” – an excerpt from the Oct. 7 report.

Each bear has a story, and Eriksen examines some profound experiences. In one report, she traces how bear 435 Holly adopted an abandoned cub years after one of her own died.

“What values does Holly represent that other people might get behind?” Eriksen asked. She also has questions about other bears. “What lessons can I learn from Otis? Why don’t we like about 856? What does that say about us as humans in community with each other, that we don’t appreciate bears who pick on smaller bears? So I use them as a large metaphor to really talk about us, humans.”

Eriksen’s updates are like reading a long text from a friend. She said her writing is lighthearted because it’s influenced by the social media accounts of Katmai National Park, which has become some of her favorite American writing.

“It’s a masterclass, honestly, that I’m taking just by following their social media. I’ve seen alliterations up to like nine or 10 words in a sentence from them. It’s truly inspiring,” she said.

Even though the fattest bear has been crowned, Eriksen will still be scanning the bear-cams for months to come.

“I’m a year-round fat bear week-er. I’m a fat bear year-er. And I feel like I’ve gotten to know a lot more about the bears over the years,” she said.

Eriksen hopes writing about the bears will also help us discover a little more about ourselves.

For the first time ever, the Bering Sea snow crab fishery will not open for the upcoming season. Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game announced the closure Monday afternoon. The Bristol Bay red king crab fishery will also be closed this year — for a second year in a row.

Gabriel Prout co-owns the F/V Silver Spray with his dad and brothers. The Silver Spray is a 116-foot steel crabber that’s homeported in Kodiak.

He said he wasn’t surprised that Fish and Game closed the king crab fishery — in a normal year, he’d go out for king crab, too. But numbers have been on the decline and that fishery didn’t open last year, either.

“The real shocking part is the total and complete collapse of the snow crab fishery which no one expected last year when it happened, and a complete closure this year was equally as shocking,” Prout said.

Miranda Westphal, an area management biologist with Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game, said the sudden decline in snow crab came as a shock to biologists as well.

Back in 2018, there was record recruitment in the Bering Sea snow crab stock. Those numbers started to go down in 2019, and there was no survey in 2020 due to the pandemic.

“And then in 2021 when they surveyed, we saw the largest decline we’ve ever seen in the snow crab population, which was very startling, I think, for everyone,” Westphal said. “It wasn’t something we expected, we were expecting to have this record recruitment come through the population.”

The quota was down about 90% from 2020. This year’s population numbers were even worse, according to Westphal, prompting the fishery’s closure.

Westphal said they’re not totally sure what caused the snow crab collapse, but they suspect warmer ocean conditions caused by climate change may be partly to blame.

About 60 boats normally go out for Bering Sea snow crab, according to Westphal.

Prout, the Kodiak fisherman, said a deckhand might make $50,000 to $80,000 in a good year, with a boat’s overall catch typically worth $1.2 million to $1.5 million.

There is a small tanner crab fishery slated to open on Oct. 15 in the Bering Sea. Prout said that’s a Band-Aid, though.

“It really has been in the past a kind of a bonus when you have to fish that alongside the snow crab,” he said. “But seeing as there’s no snow crab this year with the closure, we’re contemplating whether or not we should even make the trip out west with the high fuel prices.”

He estimates that right now it costs about $100,000 in fuel roundtrip to make it to the Bering Sea fishing grounds.

The price of steel – needed to maintain the Silver Spray’s more than 200 crab pots – has also jumped. He and his family are still waiting on fishery disaster payments to come through from the federal government for past poor seasons and closures.

Prout said his family tenders in Prince William Sound during the summers – they’re already eyeing that season to make up some of the financial loss from the crab closure. But others won’t have many options.

“People are really going to have to make some hard calls here, whether that’s selling out completely of their quota shares, selling their vessels, looking for other opportunities in other fishing sectors which is few and far between,” Prout said. “Fishermen are really going to be hurting the next year.”

Happy Fat Bear Tuesday and welcome to the final massive match of the bracket. By 5 p.m. AKDT today we will have a 2022 Fat Bear Champion — but there can only be one.

Monday began looking like a normal day in the neighborhood but it turned out to be ripe time for an uprising. Despite 128 Grazer’s size, strength, veteran status on the bracket, and triple the ability to gain weight (a mother + two yearlings), she could not compete against young 901 who won by nearly 12,000 votes. 901 is a newcomer and an enthusiastic eater, and her fans wasted no time celebrating her circumference.

The final match: 747 vs 901

747 is undoubtedly, categorically, indefatigably fat. Lidar scans estimate his weight to be around 1,400 pounds, making him one of the largest brown bears in the world. At Brooks River, and certainly on this bracket, you literally cannot find a fatter bear. The most traditional interpretation of Fat Bear Week advocates a judging rubric based on pure size, and when you apply it here, 747 is the most obvious, chunkiest choice.

But many argue that it’s Fat Bear Week, not Fattest Bear Week; therefore any fat bear should be allowed to run for champion. We should then choose a winner based on other, more equal opportunity characteristics, like seasonal weight gain, survival stories, before/after photos, and sometimes just how much people like the bear, to be honest. History would support this philosophy, especially considering 747 is never not a giant but has only won Fat Bear Week once, in 2020.

Enter 901: literally a no-name (she’s so new to us as a main character that the internet community has not yet agreed on a nickname), who came into this bracket ready to rumble. She shook things up beginning with her first match, defeating 909′s Yearling (Bean), who is well-admired and a Junior bracket award-winning baby bear. 901 went on to then upset “The King” (480 Otis), largely because many voters — including full-fat Otis fans — felt that he had had his time in the winner’s circle (2014, 2016, 2017, 2020) and that 901′s dimensions deserved a day at the races, too.

While the first two rounds might not feel momentous, yesterday’s semifinal proved that voters are ready for fresh fat leadership and they’re not afraid to shake things up. 901 is indeed a very curvy creature. But, is she what fat bear champions are made of?

747 is the traditional choice. If he wins, the purists will collectively sigh in relief and the gargantuan game will remain relatively unchanged.

But if 901 takes the crown, she will be The People’s Bear, the face of a grassroots movement that upsized the siziest bear. The corner of the bracket with less history and less media attention. A bear who stands for campaign fatness reform! 901 is young and rotund, and she canvassed the edges — the beach, mostly — an area not nearly as rich as Brooks Falls. She is up against 747, who leads the majority of a river as soon as he walks into it.

901 was and still is the smaller underbear in the match. 747 might ride his wide privilege to the win, but what if the future is female? One bear represents tradition, one bear represents change. No matter who is voted the heavyweight champion of our hearts today, we all take prize in a long-term lesson: You don’t have to be the biggest bear to be a force to be reckoned with.

Vote today from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. AKDT at fatbearweek.org!

This story originally appeared in the Anchorage Daily News and is republished here with permission.

Welcome back, well-rounded readers! For those just joining us, we are sizing up the biggest bears of Katmai National Park, and we’re well on our way to declaring one fat winner.

Let’s recap the weekend matches:

On Saturday, Grazer grazed the top of Round 7, narrowly swiping a win from Walker. Until yesterday (oh, we’ll get there) it was the closest match of the bracket. We also witnessed an upset / overthrow in Round 8, as newcomer and young underbear 901 stole King Otis’s chance at the crown. Something tells me the zen master was never into monarchy anyway. 128 Grazer and 901 face off today.

But Sunday! Holy fatness! 435 Holly and 747 Bear Force One were fat neck and neck all day long. It was a true claw-biter. It was any bear’s game, with 747 showing early leads and Holly eventually closing the gap. In the end, Holly held it down and more than 39,000 fans rejoiced in her win. But then! Katmai National Park reported that someone stuffed the ballot box and, after eliminating the spam votes, declared 747 the victor.

Even I, the mom who rewarded (which is totally absolutely definitely different than a bribe) her teenager with screen time after he voted for 435 Holly, could not believe that voter fraud (gasp) had sullied our first semifinal.

So many surprises and it ain’t over yet. Today we head into the second semifinal, featuring two chunky choices who have never been champions. Let’s go!

Match 19: 128 Grazer vs 901

These fish aren’t gonna eat themselves, and 128 Grazer is out here getting it DONE. She was raised with a strong work ethic and she hasn’t taken a single sick day in her life. When Grazer is on her grind, she does not simply walk into a river, she marches.

Yet, Grazer is not a one-dimensional fierce mama bear. As discussed Saturday, she learned when to be a fighter and when to be a lover — specifically, to herself. And, it should be noted that most female bears are consistent when it comes to raising their cubs: emancipating them at 2.5 or perhaps 3.5 years. But, for whatever reason, Grazer broke her own tradition to keep her yearlings an extra summer. She makes her own rules — which, true to her rugged reputation, tracks.

With two extra mouths to feed, we should be triple impressed with Grazer’s gains. 128 is humungous, and she has the haunches, the hustle and the heart to prove it.

But I gotta hand it to Gen Z 901 (just 6 years old), who’s over here making RIP the monarchy TikToks after converting King Otis fans to her free-living fatness. While Grazer is off adulting, 901 has her fur on do not disturb and is … she … yes she is, taking a nap in the middle of a high traffic path. This girl takes self care to a whole other level, and she is not afraid to lavish. She is the definition of just vibing. She is Net-fish & Chill-ing. And, of note: she 10/10 put on the plump. This is a bear who understood the assignment.

901 is the wild card of this bracket, and she absolutely came to party. While 128 Grazer has a strong, independent fan club, today is Monday — a school day — and the student voting bloc has been known to swing a decision. Are we in 128′s good Grazes or are we living the 901 high life with Little Miss Eat, Sleep, and Procreate?

Either way, we’re voting today on which fresh fat bear takes on 747 in the finals tomorrow, and let’s get a round of a-PAWS for that. Vote 8 a.m.-5 p.m. AKDT at fatbearweek.org!

Well it’s a beautiful day in Fat Bear America. Let’s play some fat bracket!

Yesterday we watched 151 Walker walk across the winner’s line, and he was certainly swaying what his mama gave him. Beach babe 901 took out actual babe 909 Yearling and it was very matter-of-fact; also, I’m pretty sure I saw her yawn as it happened.

Two new heavyweights enter the bracket today, and they’re two of the biggest living legends of Brooks River.

Match 5: 164 Bucky vs 435 Holly

164 Bucky is a smooth schmoozer but in all honesty, a fake-it-till-you-make-it kind of bear has no business in this match. Sure he’s got that charming, Fresh Prince of Bel Air vibe, but my lady 435 Holly here is an actual queen.

Not only is she one of the oldest bears at Katmai and a former Fat Bear Champion (2019), she is one of the most prolific and experienced mothers at Brooks River. She has given birth to five litters now, and seven bears call her Mom. In 2009, however, she had a one-cub litter and that cub was killed in front of her by an adult male bear.

The natural world is full of beauty, and it is also dangerous, selfish and cruel. Bringing a child into a place you could lose them is one of the scariest and bravest things a mother can do.

In Holly’s entire reproductive history she follows the same pattern, which is that she has another litter almost immediately after she emancipates her cub(s). Except in 2009, when her cub was killed. After that incident, Holly did not have a cub in 2010, or even in 2011, 2012, or 2013. I assume it is seen as a random blip in Holly’s otherwise liberal reproductive rhythm. There is no scientific reason for Holly to have taken such a substantial (for her) break from mothering.

Adoptions in the bear species are extraordinarily rare, and there has never been a documented case of it before or since at Brooks River. Bears are sort of rugged cowboy-like animals, and they mostly work alone. There’s a theory that a bear might, just possibly, potentially, probably not, but OK maybe, adopt another bear’s cub if they were extended family, since the survival of, say, a nephew, might still pass on their genes. But there is no known genetic kinship between 435 Holly and 503 Cubadult. There is no scientific reason for their blended family to exist.

So, yes, Holly is fat. She emancipated her cub (335 Jolly) earlier this spring, and with no kids in the house she has been single and thriving. Instead of energy being used around the clock to raise offspring, protect them, and share all her food with them, she is relishing every bite and every minute — and it shows. But Holly is more than a bear who is heavy; she is a bear who knows heavy. She has witnessed the traumatic loss of her child, and she sat with that loss for five years. Anyone who knows grief knows you don’t need a tree to feel stuck somewhere for hours. Anyone who knows grief knows what it’s like to cry someone’s name and never have them return. Why did 435 Holly adopt 503 Cubadult? Everyone asks; no one knows. They were not related. And yet, they could relate.

Match 6: 747 Bear Force One vs 32 Chunk

Thank goodness everyone did the right thing and voted for 747 Bear Force One over 856 (no Nickname because he’s not our friend). We have already established that 747 is an actual jumbo jet shaped like a bear and so there is not a lot of wobble room for a hunk like Chunk to compete if we’re literally weighing our options.

But 32 Chunk is a good example of how you can’t judge a bear by its cover. While Chunk doesn’t have any mode of transportation nicknames, he is best known for basically being born chonky. Being blessed with a big backside, and front side, and well, really, every side, Chunk is one of the largest, strongest, and most dominant bears at Brooks River. And yet, he’s not fully committed to the role. Unlike a boss bear, Chunk is sometimes seen scavenging leftover salmon. And also unlike a boss bear, Chunk sometimes plays with other bears.

He has a lot of scars but he doesn’t talk about them. The bear cams do not show Chunk running an underwater fight club but also, they do not not show it either. Chunk has a very anti-establishment personality and he is also at the top of the echelon. Is there more to life than how high up you rank? Why are some bears born fat and some bears have to work at it? Who is he, really? These are not just questions we can ask, but probably questions Chunk asks himself. Bear cam viewer and Katmai National Park volunteer “Stacey” once wrote about Chunk’s “perpetual worried look.” Perhaps it’s his narrow eyes and his strong brow bone. Or, perhaps it’s just the existential crisis of a big bear trying to be in touch with his beast side and his sweet side.

Does the depth of 32 Chunk’s complexity outweigh 747′s basic bulk? You decide.

Voting is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. AKDT at fatbearweek.org.

Yesterday y’all got out the vote! We love to see it. Explore.org boasted record-breaking participation and 747 Bear Force One easily flew past 856. Phew. Meanwhile, 335 Jolly looked on as the people showered 164 Bucky with votes. And, per usual, he was right there to catch them.

The plot thickens today as some of the biggest booties of Brooks Falls come out to play.

Match 1: 854 “Divot” vs. 151 “Walker”

One day, after 10 years of growing up in the Park, 854 Divot straight up left. It was summer, she had two cubs and she had a great paying job, that is, the salmon were abundant and the living was easy. Most have no need to explore, so they don’t. But, there’s something about Divot. For two weeks, no one knew where she was. It might not have been a big deal except she returned with one less cub and a wire snare wrapped around her neck. Who knows exactly what happened out there, or where.

There are some things we endure that we endure alone. And, there are some moments when you get a little help from your friends. Park rangers and biologists all came together to help remove Divot’s life-threatening snare. Although the wire is gone, to this day she still has a visible ring around her neck. Divot reminds us that every day we survive things we see and cannot see. And, that healing does not mean the bad things that have happened to us disappear. Most of all, Divot represents the possibility of recovery. These days, 854 Divot eats with an “I’m worth it” kind of attitude and, damn right, sis. You, who can bear the weight of the world, you deserve every good thing.

Meanwhile, 151 Walker, wow. I mean, some bears put in the work and some bears know how to work it, and Walker embodies both. There are a lot of pictures of Walker, and it impresses me how many of them are almost the exact same sideways pose of him looking over his shoulder at the camera. Walker doesn’t have a bad side, and yet, he is never not accentuating his obtuse angles.

This boi is just biding his time till he’s GQ Sexiest Bear Alive. Have you seen the image of him resting his avant garde arm on a rock, looking at you across the river, 100% boulder smolder, like, “Hey girl. You gonna eat that?” A recognizable feature about my boo Walker is that he has a pear shaped body; interestingly all his food goes straight to his rump. They say (OK, and they’ve seen) that Walker starts a lot of fights these days; he is often modeling wounds. But is that? A bite mark? On his booty? (Whistles) Walker, you chunky snack you. You can be fat, or you can be fat with swagger, and that’s the walk Walker’s walking.

Match 2: 901 vs. 909′s Yearling “Bean”

901 is having a hot girl summer and she knows it. All the biggest and baddest boy bears of Katmai wanna be with her. She’s like “Whatever losers, I’m going to the beach” and they’re like “Which beach? I wanna go to the beach.”

Katmai Park Ranger Kim Grossman said 901′s focus seems to be eat, sleep, and pass on her genetics which is maybe the best to-do list I have ever seen. Fat bears are so good at managing their priorities; honestly, it’s inspiring. No one manages 901; she is known to be fiercely independent, and also passionate about naps. She is a newcomer to the scene but with those corpulent curves she is not leaving anytime soon. Truly one of the plumpest paunches in the park and one of the thicc-est girls on the bracket.

Fat Bear Junior champ, 909′s yearling “Bean,” joins us on the big bear bracket and rightfully so. There’s lots to love about Lil Bean; for starters: everything. This is her second summer and she’s already got strong Beyoncé energy — a bear that is not afraid to defy expectations. Bean is one of the few yearlings who learned to fish on the lip of the falls! Sing with me now: I dream it, I work hard, I grind till I own it.

But perhaps the most precious thing is Bean’s joy and how it has no border. They say it’s rare to see bears of extended families play together, and Bean did this throughout the summer. Bean-yoncé’s confidence and camaraderie culminated one day in September when adult male 856 (see what I mean? So rude. See yesterday’s article) was approaching where she and young 901 Jr. were playing. In the fat face of danger, Bean stood up like the tiny beast she is and protected her cousin! She was a li’l floof of fearlessness and she was all in, and that’s some hero journey material right there. Also, for those who vote on weight gain alone, check out Bean’s before and after photos. They’re stunning! They’re stunning of course because she’s a baby and they, you know, grow up fast. I look forward to watching Bean size up into the spirited superstar she already is!

Voting is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. AKDT at explore.org!