Chunk, a 1,200-pound bear with a broken jaw, wins Alaskas popular Fat Bear Week contest

Chunk, a 1,200-pound brown bear with a broken jaw, won the popular Fat Bear Week contest in Alaska, achieving victory after three consecutive years of near misses. This year, the contest attracted over 1. 5 million votes as viewers watched 12 bears on live webcams in Katmai National Park. Contest organizers estimated that approximately 200,000 salmon made their way up Brooks River, contributing to a significant decrease in conflict among the bears. Naturalist Mike Fitz stated that Chunk likely sustained his jaw injury in a fight with another bear.

The contest, which began in 2014, seeks to raise awareness about brown bears and their seasonal feeding habits. Voters engaged with the contest by reviewing before-and-after photos of the bears, choosing favorites based on looks or narratives. This year, the abundance of salmon allowed for less competition among bears, leading to unusual scenes where humans could fish alongside them. Fat Bear Week serves as an interactive platform for educating the public about the challenges and triumphs of these magnificent animals.