Fat Bear Week 2019 officially ended Tuesday night. And the winner is….
Number 435, or if you prefer a name, Holly.
Fat Bear Week has been an annual event for the past five years in Katmai National Park and Preserve in southwestern Alaska. The idea is to publicize and celebrate the process of bears eating as much as they can to build up crucial fat reserves in advance of winter hibernation.
Park rangers made a game out of the process – a March Madness-style bracket matching bear against bear, each with photos proving girth and inviting the public to vote on the fattest bear in each pair.
Stuffed With Sockeye Salmon, ‘Holly’ Wins 'Fat Bear Week’ Heavyweight Title
Photos: Katmai National Park & Preserve