The brown bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve have experienced personal growth this summer.
Nope, not the kind they’d share with friends over brunch.
These bears have literally packed on the pounds to prepare for winter hibernation.
(But hey, if they’ve also become more evolved, that’s a plus.)
Wait, why are we talking about bears?
Well, Tuesday brought the end ofFat Bear Week 2022.
There were 12 hefty contestants in the lineup, including last year’s winner,the floppy-eared 480 Otis.
you could read the bios forall of this year’s competing bears here.
Voting took place on FatBearWeek.org between Oct. 5 and Oct. 11.
When it came to selecting a bear, voters could have simply picked the contender that looks the fattest.
They must chow down in the lead-up to survive.
Fat Bear Week celebrates that the bears are looking plump.
It also celebrates Katmai’s healthy ecosystem.
