Fat Bear Week champion Chunk spotted taking a stroll in Alaska

Bears are not seen as frequently in the spring, so this first glimpse of Chunk is exciting. Katmai is a home and hunting ground for some of the world’s largest brown bears. They gather every summer on the salmon that swim up the Brooks River. Larger bears are more likely to survive hibernation and the long winter ahead. To celebrate and raise funds and awareness, Katmai hosts Fat Bear Week, an annual tournament each fall where nature enthusiasts can vote online for Katmai’s fattest bear. Chunk was crowned last year’s winner, with 96,350 votes. The runner-up, Bear 856, received 63,725 votes.

Chunk, aka Bear 32, is known for his dominance and size, but also for his narrow eyes, dark fur, a prominent brow bone, and a distinctive scar on his snout. He weighed about 1,200 pounds after gorging on salmon last summer.

Bears like Chunk return to Brooks River every June when the salmon run begins. Last year, he was spotted with a freshly broken jaw. Since it was also mating season, Chunk was likely injured while fighting with another bear to find a mate. Even though he was injured, Chunk managed to catch the salmon swimming in the river.

“Chunk proved immediately adaptable,” writes explore.org. “He adjusted his behavior to avoid the most direct confrontations with other large male bears. He quickly learned to eat salmon without full use of his mandible. Additionally, his large size still allowed him easy access to many productive fishing grounds. He remains one of the largest bears in Brooks River.”

Mating season usually begins in May, with peak mating in June. Males sometimes pursue females for up to a week before mating even takes place. The Brooks River salmon run begins in late June and bears will spend the summer gorging on salmon. The greatest numbers of bears are usually seen in mid-July.

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