Katmai National Park’s Fat Bear Week returns Sept. 22–29, inviting the public to vote on which Brooks River brown bears best packed on salmon weight for winter hibernation—a bracket tournament that has become one of the National Park Service’s most popular digital events.

Voting runs at fatbearweek.org on weekdays only during the window, with the champion crowned Sept. 29. The bracket was revealed Sept. 18. Last year more than 1.7 million votes from over 100 countries crowned Bear 32, nicknamed “Chunk.” Superintendent Mark Sturm said there are more cubs at Brooks Camp this year than have been seen in a long time, calling it “a new generation of fat bears” off to a strong start as they learn to fish and prepare for winter in Katmai’s ecosystem.

Fat Bear Week started in 2014 to celebrate the remarkable seasonal transformation of brown bears that feast on salmon and build fat reserves essential for denning. Fans can scout candidates before and during the tournament on Explore.org live cams and on the park’s educational pages that profile individual bears’ histories. The event is a partnership among the National Park Service, Explore.org, and the Katmai Conservancy. USA TODAY’s coverage similarly highlights the voting window, defending champion Chunk, and the livestream spectacle that turns ecology into participatory entertainment without requiring a trip to Alaska.

For NewsHabit, the lifestyle card stays grounded in NPS logistics, partnership credits, and last year’s verified vote totals. It does not invent play-by-play bear biographies beyond what rangers and partner sites publish. Behind the humor sits a conservation reminder: pre-hibernation success depends on healthy salmon runs and intact habitat around Brooks River.