Fat Bear Week, the annual competition at Alaska's Katmai National Park, is underway with 16 brown bears competing in a single-elimination tournament to determine which has best prepared for winter hibernation. Fans vote for their preferred contestant, with over 1.7 million votes cast in the previous year's competition. The event has returned with defending champion "Chunk" (Bear 32) seeking to retain his title against formidable new competition.

The defending champion Chunk claimed victory despite suffering a broken jaw in June 2025 and has returned with substantial weight gain ahead of the winter season. Notable competitors include Bucky (Bear 164), a nine-year-old rising heavyweight with clever fishing techniques positioned at Brooks Falls' plunge pool, and Bear 610, a first-time participant and mother of cubs whose underdog story includes surviving an earlier attack. Bear 151 (Walker), an ageing competitor facing pressure from younger rivals, also features in the tournament.