For the past week, people have been casting their vote for their favorite in the annual Fat Bear Week contest. The competition started out with 16 contenders consisting of bear families, subadults, adult females, and adult males. After three rounds of elimination, only two remained. 

A large adult female called 910 (my personal favorite) and an adult male with blond ears called 89 Backpack entered the finals vying for the title of Fattest Bear, which is a compliment.

The before and after photos taken from this year and their stories were posted online to help aid people in making their choice. 

On September 29 voting opened, and thousands of people cast their vote for their favorite. The polls closed and the votes were tallied. The winner is 89 Backpack. 

His mother, Holly, was also a Fat Bear Week champion who raised him well. He earned his nickname because as a cub he would climb on his mother's back to swim in the river. Backpack grew up and overcame a serious leg injury to become the large and formidable bear he is today. 

National Park Service shared, "Unlike many large adult male bears, Backpack hasn’t shown much aggression toward his competitors. He’ll stand up for himself when necessary, but he prefers to use a quiet strength to gain access to preferred fishing spots. His body size suggests that the strategy works."

A video of 89 Backpack living his best life was shared on social media announcing his win. Congrats big fella. Check out the video below. 

Katmai National Park posted the results as well and wrote, "This year, we honored resilience in our bears and in our nation, recognizing the landscapes, communities, and shared stories that connect us. Thanks for being part of the journey. Until next year, enjoy the bears, salmon, and human connection that keeps Katmai's ecosystems alive."