Backpack wins Fat Bear Week 2026

animalsSep 29, 202627889

Katmai National Park bear 89 Backpack defeated rival Bear 910 to win Fat Bear Week 2026. Voters were split between the two in the final round of the weeklong contest to name the chunkiest bear. Backpack is 20 years old, weighs about 1,000 pounds, and earned his nickname as a cub for riding on his mother’s back across the Brooks River. Backpack is the son of 2019 Fat Bear Week winner 435 Holly, making him the first legacy bear to win the contest. 910, the runner up, is a 10-year-old female noted for raising her own cub and her sister’s cub. Backpack will be celebrated as the 2026 Fat Bear Week champion.

explore.org

@explore.org

Introducing your ultimate fighter and champion: Bear 89 Backpack 👑 Thanks for joining us for the biggest Fat Bear Week to date.

4003h ago

Trixie Belden, Schoolgirl Shamus15

#910 is my girl, but I am so happy you won, you handsome and delightful bear. You did your mom, Holly, proud!

autumnal babs6

yay! this was a really tough choice, 910 is a beautiful thicc queen

jitterbugperfumed.bsky.social6

Congrats Fatty, mama would be proud!

PonderOsa4

Hurray for ALL the fat bears! Thank you salmon, you make it possible.

Gina4

I totally thought 910 had it, she was huge

Janey B2

Congratulations 89 Backpack! You deserve it.

Quoting this

Evan Bernick, a finite mode with a smol hooman and a lorg floof32

It was the back scratches and he totally deserves it

Birder K14

ALL HAIL OUR CHONKY CHAMPION!!! #FatBearWeek

Megan Goodwin7

I for one welcome our new corpulent ursine sovereign

Darin Gantt4

A truly deserving champion. I need a full One Shining Moment to celebrate both the fatness and the bearness of it all.

Josh Campbell2

@solomonrmissouri.com thick is thick. And we have a new thick king.

Alaska Public Media

@alaskapublic.org

Meet Backpack, your 2026 Fat Bear Week champion. Backpack is 20 years old, weighs about 1,000 pounds and got his nickname because, as a cub, he loved riding on his mom's back across the Brooks River.

1033h ago

Quoting this

Matt Wallace12

Hail to the king, baby.

Cheer Captain7

YES YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES

Rine Vieth5

BACKPACK HIVE, WE DID IT

Sarah Walsh2

B A C K P A C K

Y’allsey2

I was hoping 910 would win, but congrats to Backpack.

Barnem

@barnem.wobbl.xyz.ap.brid.gy

We made it! Sorry if I'm not participating in all the festivities...I'm not hibernating, you are hibernatingzzZzzz... https://www.furaffinity.net/view/66525939/ #softbearweek #fatbearnights

Barnem and Range are at the Katmai falls. Range has a salmon in his mouth, while Barnem is sleeping in the water on his back.
Text says Fat bear Week ...on the ROAD 2026. See you next year!

1006h ago

Eazy_EHonda (Pavlo the Bear) 🔜 MFF

@eazyehonda.bsky.social

It is the last day of Fat Bear Week, but I've got a surprise new pic for ya! As a large sumo wrestler, I make sure to eat and bulk up with my oni bud @tonyx3.bsky.social. I also love to bump my bear belly up against his! This art was done by the lovely @oinkerarts.bsky.social.

454h ago

Dead Stray BEAR

@deadstraybear.bsky.social

HEAD EMPTY BEAR MOMENT ( LAST STREAM For FAT BEAR WEEK) www.twitch.tv/deadstraybear

544h ago

Coach 🧢 On Main

@taikoshep.bsky.social

if you TF into a bear on the last day of fat bear week does that extend the week or do you have to wait for the next one to change back asking for a friend

273h ago

Zelda Wiki

@zeldawiki.bsky.social

Fat Bear Week has finally come to a close, and with it we will honor one last bear. The final bear we have to feature is Moosh. Moosh is a flying polar bear and one of three Animal Companions that can accompany Link through his journeys across Holodrum and Labrynna.

Graphic of Moosh imposed over the palms up together emoji.

156h ago

Avi Henriques 🩸

@legalizegoblins.bsky.social

Congratulations to the very handsome 89 Backpack, who is 2026's FAT BEAR WEEK CHAMP!! Backpack is the son of 2019 FBW winner 435 Holly, making him the first legacy bear to win FBW. He is 20 years old and is a lover, not a fighter. His seniority and size are enough to earn him the best fishing spots.

Backpack, a blonde brown bear, in his fall coat, resting on some driftwood in a river.

142h ago

Rozebud

@rozebud55.bsky.social

055 Rozebud Bio Update One winner is crowned “Fattest Bear”- and we look at Roze and see he didn’t do too shabby. After a week, he still hasn’t realized just how big he is now. It’s natural for bears to throw their weight around, but friends might not be so receptive. 6/6 #fatbearweek #fatfur

123h ago

Azel1

Yoooooo! Thanks for including me chubs ;3

RoundFeline1

What do you MEAN you weren't competing?! O-o; (Awesome sequence, dude! Thanks so much for including me!!) o:

Dr. Amy, PsyD

@dramypsyd.rmh-therapy.com

Congratulations to the winner of 2026 Fat Bear Week! But I think deep down we are all winners because we got to see some wonderful fat bears

172h ago

Eli 🔞 3/3 slots taken

@elis2ndacc.bsky.social

Since Fat Bear Week is coming to an end I’ll celebrate the last day by squishing some bear guts but first…. *changes the settings from “Bear” to “Fat Bear” Mode on the Bear Ray and points it at you*