Fat Bear Week has returned, featuring a delightful array of contestants celebrating its 10th anniversary.

The announcement, originally scheduled for Monday, was moved to Tuesday due to a shocking event where one bear attacked and killed another, which was observed on live cameras. Nonetheless, the bracket to celebrate these mighty competitors was unveiled on Tuesday.

From adorable chubsters to hefty heavies, brown bears residing at Brooks River in Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska, will compete during this much-loved week, bringing joy (or perhaps a bit of fright) to fans around the globe.

“Fat Bear Week fulfills your cravings for bears, salmon, and the stunning wonders of Katmai,” stated Katmai National Park Superintendent Mark Sturm, “all in one delightful package.”

Thanks to a summer of abundant feeding, these hibernating bears have achieved their peak weight, and the single-elimination tournament kicks off on Wednesday. Viewers will cast votes for the bear they think “best embodies fatness and success in brown bears,” according to the competition’s website.

The bear that garners the most votes will move on to the next round, with only one bear emerging as the champion of Fat Bear Week. But which contestant will the internet pick as the 2024 Fat Bear royalty?

Here’s all you need to know about America’s beloved beauty contest and this year’s participants:

When will Fat Bear Week take place?

Fat Bear Week 2024 is scheduled from October 2 to October 8.

This annual event marks ten years since Fat Bear Week first began in 2014.

Why was the Fat Bear Week bracket announcement delayed?

The organizers announced a delay in revealing the Fat Bear Week bracket following a violent encounter between two bears at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska.

“This morning, an adult male bear attacked and killed another bear at Brooks River,” said resident naturalist Mike Fitz during a live event that was initially planned to announce the competitors. “The event was broadcasted live through the webcams.”

Bear number 469, a 30-year-old male, attacked bear number 402, an older adult female while they were in the water.

“We take great pleasure in celebrating bears that are well-fed and hefty during Fat Bear Week, but we must remember the intense realities of bear life,” he noted. “These bears face real dangers; their lives can be arduous, and their deaths can be tragic.”

Where does Fat Bear Week occur?

The contest takes place at Katmai National Park, located on the northern Alaskan Peninsula in Bristol Bay Borough.

The park’s headquarters is situated in King Salmon, approximately 290 miles southwest of Anchorage.

Who are the contestants for Fat Bear Week 2024?

Here’s a list of the contestants for Fat Bear Week 2024:

909 Jr.

• Almost 4 years old.
• Possesses excellent social skills.
• Learned fishing techniques from her mother.

“She faces challenges different from the older bears, and she deserves recognition for that, especially after her previous wins,” said Naomi Boak from the Katmai Conservancy.

519

• 3 years old.
• Has long, slender legs.
• Recently separated from Bear 719.

“She represents the younger bears this year and showcases how swiftly they grow from lanky cubs to somewhat awkward adolescents,” said Sarah Bruce from Katmai National Park.

128 Grazer

• 2023 Fat Bear Week champion.
• Defensive mother who gave birth to two cubs in 2024.
• Faced hardship when one cub was injured by 32 Chunk in July.

“Since that incident, Grazer and her surviving cub have concentrated on gaining weight before winter, and it seems their hard work has paid off as they both appear quite plump,” Fitz remarked. “Grazer is renowned for being a remarkably adaptable and successful bear, yet her story this year reminds us that even the most courageous mother bears can endure pain and losses.”

Bear 903: Gully

• Male bear, 8 years old.
• Earned the nickname Gully due to his fondness for eating seagulls.
• Gained valuable life insights from 128 Grazer.

“Bear 903 is a top-notch student,” Boak remarked. “He has also learned to adapt to different situations and has a knack for seizing opportunities that others might miss.”

Bear 909

• Daughter of Beadnose, the 2018 February week champion.
• Frequently spotted catching salmon.
• Known for her focus on self-care.

“As a solitary female this summer, 909 enjoyed greater independence and likely engaged in what humans refer to as self-care. Her fishing skills and concentration are evident in the size of her waistline. Her work ethic, skills, and strong family background may benefit a new batch of cubs next year,” Fitz noted.

Bear 856

• Large male, around 22 years old.
• One of the biggest bears in the river.
• Highly placed in the bear social hierarchy.

“He may have taken a hit in stature, but he’s still one of the plumpest bears you’ll see here,” Bruce stated.

Bear 504

• A mother caring for her second recognized litter.
• First spotted in 2014.
• Gives her cubs extra time to grow big as she nurtures them an additional year.

“What’s remarkable about 504 and her current litter is that they have stayed together for four summers,” Fitz explained. “Typically, brown bear mothers separate from their cubs by the third or fourth summer, so it’s unusual for this family to remain intact and not be leading separate lives.”

Bear 32 Chunk

• Spotted consuming 42 salmon in just 10 hours.
• One of the largest and most assertive bears.
• Features a distinct scar across his muzzle.

“Last year’s Fat Bear Week champion, 128 Grazer, is the only bear that dared to challenge him, and I believe he is likely his strongest competitor in this contest as well,” Bruce said.

Bear 151 Walker

• A previously playful youthful bear, he has now taken a dominant role this year.
• Knows how to pile on the pounds by catching salmon.

“Although he hasn’t won yet, he is certainly putting up a fight against the big contenders this year,” Bruce commented.

Bear 901

• About 8 years old.
• Had her first litter last year, but sadly, they did not survive.
• Was the runner-up in Fat Bear Week 2022.

“The experiences she’s gained could help her better protect a future litter of cubs,” Fitz remarked.

Bear 164 Bucky

• Around 8 years old.
• Called Bucky due to a small dent in his forehead.
• Thought to be a “social genius.”

“I see him as the Thomas Edison of the Brooks,” Boak stated. “He has discovered a rich fishing spot where no other bear has ventured, right beneath the falls.”

How to Vote in Fat Bear Week

You can cast your vote at fatbearweek.org.

Voters will need to choose which bear they want to advance, input their email address, and confirm they are not a robot.

Warning: Black bears are increasingly entering human habitats.

Who was the winner of Fat Bear Week 2023?

The winner from last year, chosen by public votes, was a female brown bear known as 128 Grazer.

According to officials, almost 1.4 million votes were submitted from individuals across over 100 countries.

This was Grazer’s first victory after being observed for several years along the Brooks River in Katmai National Park and Preserve, located in Alaska. She has developed a distinct reputation among other bears as “a notably protective mother who has raised two sets of cubs successfully,” as stated on the Fat Bear Week website.

“She frequently confronts and even attacks larger competitors—such as dominant adult males—to safeguard her cubs,” the website mentions.

Fat Bear Week is made possible through a collaboration involving the National Park Service, Explore.org, and the Katmai Conservancy.

For further details, tune in to the live feeds on explore.org.

This report was revised due to an earlier error.