Fat Bear Week, Round 2 Voting Underway

natureSep 25, 2026402,406

Explore.org’s Fat Bear Week Round 2 voting is underway at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska, with quarterfinal matchups such as Walker versus Bucky. Voting runs September 22 through 29 daily between 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern, 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pacific, and 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Alaska. The event is a single-elimination photo tournament that celebrates brown bears’ seasonal fattening as preparation for winter hibernation; the bear with the most votes in each matchup advances to the next round and only one will be crowned champion. Explore.org provides before-and-after photos, a Meet the Bears page, and a downloadable bracket; participants enter an email above each poll, select the bear they judge the fattest, and submit to record their vote. The site explains that Katmai bears put on fat by gorging on abundant salmon at Brooks River, then lose roughly one third of body weight during hibernation, making fat reserves critical for survival and for nursing mothers and competing adults. Voters can follow results via the site’s confirmation and See Previous Responses features and campaign for candidates using #FatBearWeek. Winners from Round 2 will move on to the next single-elimination round until a final Fat Bear Week champion is selected.

Orange

@notablueursidae.bsky.social

HAPPY FAT BEAR WEEK!!! Let's show some love to some extremely good bears! Here's @finnfoni.com 's bear!!! Isn't he the cutest!! #furry #myart

44414h ago

Soft and Snooty

@snootfultonto.bsky.social

Happy fat bear week! Had some free time to sketch something down real quick 🐻💦

25012h ago

A Sleepy Possum

@sleepypossum.bsky.social

Fat Bear Week!! For some, it’s a lifestyle 😛 I’ve been exhausted this week, definitely need rubs and treats. 😮‍💨

29315h ago

Innkeeper @ The Motorboat Inn1

*brings you donuts and smashes my face into your belly*

Bottomboy412 🔜 Martinsburg, WV1

Send you all the rubs and treats!!

Will1

Sending rubs to the belly and kisses to the leafs on your neck 😍😘

wartortling ✨️

@wartortling.bsky.social

Happy fat bear week, all i do is work rn and im going mad 💆‍♂️

2549h ago

Meatierologist1

Would love to provide you distractions.

Zakyr (Comms Closed)

@gigizadragon.bsky.social

I initially wasn't going to involve myself with Fat Bear Week as I'm not a bear guy, but Herbert... #Art #Fanart

13914h ago

Dee

@onyxenigma.bsky.social

Happy Fat Bear Week!! Here’s a sketch of a fat bear (me!!) to celebrate 🐻 #furryart #furry

13112h ago

Rehv1

looking good Dee! Very squishable

SWW 🐺🌕🔞1

Hell yeah! Happy bear week! Your character looks so good 🐻

Bearsly

@bearsly.bsky.social

God I just know Fat Bear Week post-feast cuddles hit so different... Was trying out some new brush and painting settings! Not sure how I feel about them yet. The experimenting continues 🐻

8713h ago

Avi Henriques 🩸

@legalizegoblins.bsky.social

Okay folks. #FatBearWeek Round 2 is underway, and I am shocked to see that Bucky is beating Walker. This fatty losing?? Are you kidding me? The facts are: Walker is fatter than Bucky by a mile. I have over 5k followers on here. Can you vote for Walker and spread the word? fatbearweek.org

A very broad and fat brown bear standing in a plunge pool beneath Brooks Falls.

7413h ago

Stephanie goes by Stephanie3

Pitting sisters against each other. Dirty work

Assistant Deputy Takesmith, Reporting For Duty3

Voted for fat bears for the first time (incl Walker) Feel so alive

Barbara Bond2

Can’t not vote for Walker’s big bear butt

Amybeth$244/$668.56🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️1

I love Fat Bear Week!!!

Trixie Belden, Schoolgirl Shamus1

Team Walker all the way!

Ana Marie Cox

@anamariecox.com

Because I am an adult and totally know how to manage my time, I made a carousel quoting some of the best fat bear write-ups. Enjoy!

7114h ago

Quoting this

Major2

They're not good bears. They are GREAT bears.

Beefo Supremo

@beefosupremo.bsky.social

How could I forget to celebrate fat boy friday during fat bear week?

10012h ago

Corgibuh - Fat Bear Week!

@corgibuh.bsky.social

Far too entertained with fat bear week art from @sheebchub.bsky.social <3

5612h ago

Maggie Tokuda-Hall

@maggietokudahall.bsky.social

We are nearing the most important exercise in democracy of the year*, so make a plan and see it through *Fat Bear Voting Week

5713h ago

Ki Lockheart | Echo Fan | (COMMS OPEN)

@kitherasky.bsky.social

I don't think he noticed chat. He didn't notice that he's streaming during fat bear week. 🐻‍❄ #furryart

3610h ago

Chrome Silverpaw 🔜 MFF

@shinypaws.bsky.social

Im only half bear so I can only KIND of celebrate fat bear week. But I've got @scooterthepanda.bsky.social and @lexthesharkwolf.bsky.social to help me celebrate

3615h ago

CyberRaider1

I would so rub that tum OwO

beeb

@beeblimp.bsky.social

bearbeeb "cheating" at fat bear week by realizing she can make herself look larger if she just holds in her gas for the rest of the week 🫧 she'll make the other bears look puny! surely there's no way this will blow up in her face...🍾

4615h ago

2 sources

nytimes.comFat Bear Week Is Back. Meet Some of Our Favorite Contenders.explore.orgFat Bear Week 2026 - Explore.org

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