Bear nicknamed 'Backpack' wins 2026 Fat Bear Week at Alaska's Katmai National Park by just 5,000 votes

From the Newshound archive · first published 30 September 2026 · last updated 1 October 2026.

The victory carries a family legacy: Backpack earned his nickname as a cub in 2006 by riding on his mother Holly's back as she swam, and Holly herself was the 2019 Fat Bear Week champion. Naturalist and competition creator Mike Fitz noted Backpack "knew hardship at an early age," having suffered a bad injury as a cub that left him struggling to keep up with his mother.

Runner-up Bear 910, daughter of former champion Beadnose, drew fierce loyalty from fans, with one writing: 'I'm genuinely about to start crying in a waffle house over 910 not winning.'

The annual competition asks the public to vote on which of Katmai's brown bears has bulked up the most before winter hibernation, with bears capable of exceeding 500kg.

The bears can lose up to one-third of their body weight during hibernation, making the summer gorging a matter of survival.