Katmai brown bear activity and Fat Bear Week
Key Questions
What is Fat Bear Week?
Fat Bear Week is an annual event that highlights brown bears in Katmai National Park as they gain weight from salmon ahead of hibernation.
Which bear is potentially the fattest this year?
Bear 747 is considered a top contender for the fattest bear in the current Fat Bear Week competition.
How large is the grizzly population in Katmai National Park?
Katmai National Park is home to one of the largest populations of grizzly bears found in any U.S. national park.
Why do Alaska grizzlies focus on salmon fishing?
Grizzly bears in Alaska feed heavily on salmon to rapidly build fat reserves needed for winter hibernation.
What makes Alaska ideal for viewing bears fishing?
Alaska's pristine wilderness offers reliable opportunities to observe grizzlies naturally catching salmon in streams and coastal areas.
Bear 747 potentially fattest in competition; aligns with Alaska emergence tracking and public interest in notable individuals.
Sources (3)
Updated May 16, 2026