The bracket for Fat Bear Week 2025 has been revealed, and 12 bears at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska are looking for votes from all over the world -- but only one will be crowned the champion of the fat bears.

Katmai National Park and Preserve

Fat Bear Week has commenced at Katmai National Park in Alaska, where brown bears compete in a tournament-style event to determine which bear has gained the most weight ahead of hibernation. This year, the bears are notably large due to an abundant sockeye salmon run, which provides the necessary fat reserves for their long winter sleep.

The event, which allows the public to vote for their favorite bear, features contenders like bear 602, nicknamed Flo-tato, and bear 26, who has spent the season caring for her cubs. Fat Bear Week not only entertains but also educates about the interconnectedness of wildlife and the significance of healthy ecosystems.

Fat Bear Week has arrived. Who will be crowned champion?

We end tonight in Alaska, where it's fat bear week. A pageant to pick the heaviest bear heading into hibernation. These big Bruins are especially large this year because of an abundance of sockeye salmon. Here's Dave Malkoff. He wants to be the star of the show. Bear expert Clint Murphy got us up close with American black bears Big Winston and Little Blueberry at Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary outside of Atlanta. It's all connected, and humans are part of that connection. And that's why Fat Bear Week is an important part. Fat Bear Week, hosted by Cottmine National Park in Alaska, is a March Madness-style tournament where the heavier, huskier brown bears help themselves to all the salmon nigiri they can pull out of the Brooks River. In this corner, bear 602, nickname Flo-tato. She is beautiful and hysterical. She eats so much, she just kind of rolls around in that stream. This year's salmon run gives them enough fat they need to survive up to six months of hibernation. Hibernation is a dramatic drop in metabolism, whereas some of these animals, like the American black bear, can slow their heart rates down to almost 50% of their normal rate. Here's one more contender up in Alaska. Bear 26. She spent her summer caring for her two young cubs. There's something to do with things that are round and fuzzy with big eyes that people love. They're round, big eyes. That just attracts the human emotion. You can vote for your favorite bear through next Tuesday. Until then, it's eat, eat, eat. And don't mess with those bears. Thanks for watching. We'll see you tomorrow.

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