In Alaska's Katmai National Park, the yearly "Fat Bear Week" is watched by millions. In 2026, the contest finished and the winner was a grizzly bear named Backpack 89, who won hearts with his cuteness and success. Backpack 89 received 103,000 votes and beat all other bears to become the champion.

Why do we have this contest? The contest is not only to pick the biggest bear, but also to show how well bears prepare for winter sleep. Park workers use the contest to teach people about bears' eating habits before winter and how they live in nature.

Winter sleep and survival: For bears, winter sleep (hibernation) is the most important way to survive. When the weather gets very cold and food is hard to find, bears go into caves. During summer and fall, they eat salmon and other foods, building a thick layer of fat. This fat is their energy store for winter. A bear can lose a third of its weight while sleeping. So, the fatter a bear is in fall, the healthier it will be when it wakes up in spring.

Who is Backpack 89? Backpack 89 learned this from his mother. His mother Holly won the same contest in 2019. Backpack got his name because when he was young he liked riding on his mother's back while they swam in fish-filled rivers. Even now, fans still call him the "big fluffy child."

Did you know?
- An adult male grizzly can gain 25% of its body weight in just a few months before winter.
- The biggest male grizzlies can reach 540 kilograms, which is as heavy as a piano with a single tail!
- The bears in the contest do not choose to compete; park workers simply take photos of their changes before winter and let the public vote.

Beyond the contest: This event is a great chance to teach kids about ecosystems and how seasons affect animals. Salmon migration, bears eating salmon, and then sleeping through winter show how nature is connected. Katmai National Park encourages interest in wildlife and helps protect nature through such activities.

In short, Backpack 89's victory is not just fun—it symbolizes the amazing effort animals make to survive winter. Next year, when the snow melts and spring arrives, watching Backpack 89 and friends fish in rivers will be very exciting. Remember, every creature in nature has its own special survival strategy!