This bear is fluffy, “chubby,” and has become a star due to its large size after a video featuring its plump body went viral online.

This Colorado black bear, affectionately called “Durango Tubby,” has been the center of attention on social media since the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southwest Region shared a video of him this month.

“We thought we had seen really plump bears in Durango before,” the department tweeted on Friday. “This one takes the top prize. It likely also ate the prize.”

The original video has garnered nearly 548,000 views on X, along with around 5,000 likes as of Wednesday afternoon.

In the footage, the bear is seen looking around and sniffing the ground, exploring the area.

Check out the video of the hefty Colorado bear dubbed ‘Durango Tubby’

Bear captured on trail cameras for research

The bear has been sighted several times in October in Durango, according to John Livingston, Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Southwest Region Public Information Officer.

The images were obtained using trail cameras located on agency properties, which capture photos and videos when movement is detected, assisting in data collection.

Livingston mentioned that they cannot determine the bear’s age without analyzing its teeth, and there has been no need for the agency to tranquilize and handle the bear in the footage.

Social media reacts to the adorable hefty bear

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southwest Region humorously queried, “How much more does this black bear need to eat before settling into a den this year?”

The agency also shared a clip showing the bear munching on food, lovingly referring to him as a “chubby boy.”

They also retweeted posts from locals who claimed to have seen the same bear in their backyards.

Calling him “Durango Tubby,” X user @SOULTSIE shared footage from their Ring security camera, which appears to depict the same bear roaming through their yard.

Durango Tubby raises awareness about bear behavior

Another user on X humorously suggested that the bear should have its own version of Fat Bear Week, which is an annual contest for brown bears at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska.

Each year, votes are cast for the bear that demonstrates “the most impressive level of plumpness and success among brown bears.” The bears face off, and the one receiving the most votes advances to the next round.

The competition concludes with one bear being crowned the champion of Fat Bear Week. This year’s victor was Bear 128 Grazer, an adult female bear who lost one of her cubs in July 2024. She triumphed over the bear that was responsible for her cub’s demise.

Livingston stated that the footage of the Durango bear was shared to “increase public awareness about bear activity and educate people on living harmoniously with bears.”

He noted that this time of year, bears undergo significant changes as they enter “hyperphagia,” where they consume up to 20,000 calories a day in preparation for hibernation.

“This bear is clearly taking hyperphagia quite seriously this season,” Livingston added.

He emphasized that the department also shares such footage because people enjoy seeing wildlife.

“Sometimes, it’s just nice to share something that brings joy,” he said. “In a world often filled with disagreements, our collective admiration for a good, chubby bear serves as common ground.”