Voters selected 128 Grazer, a mother bear who took first place in Fat Bear Week the previous year and whose cub was recently murdered by 32 Chunk, her final rival in the competition.
After the animals have bulked up on salmon in preparation for winter, viewers can watch live cameras of Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve and vote for their favorite brown bear. The competition began ten years ago.
The nature network that oversees the competition, explore.org, stated that 128 Grazer was “the first working mom to ever be crowned champion” in a post on X.
According to explore.org, two of Grazer’s cubs were mauled by Chunk, the dominant bear on the river, after they were washed over a waterfall in July. Later, one died from its wounds.
Later, the two bears competed against one another during Fat Bear Week, with Grazer emerging victorious with over 71,000 votes, more than twice as many as Chunk.
Grazer, a 20-year-old mother bear, is rearing her third litter and is extremely protective of them.
“Other bears recognize her fearlessness and frequently prefer to give her space rather than take a chance on a confrontation. This puts Grazer above nearly every other bear in the hierarchy, with the exception of the largest males, according to her bear profile.
