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“ A gentle giant named Backpack was crowned champion of Alaska’s Fat Bear Week. Backpack, officially Bear 89, won with more than 100,000 votes, narrowly beating Bear 910 with just over 50% in the final round of the annual online contest at Katmai National Park and Preserve. The son of former champion Holly, he got his name from climbing on his mother’s back as a cub while they swam the Brooks River, and he’s known for avoiding fights with other bears, often sitting on a rock taking in the scenery. Last year’s champion, Chunk, was knocked out in the first round. This year’s bracket featured a record five bear families, reflecting a record number of mothers and cubs at the river this summer. The bears can eat up to 30 salmon a day to bulk up for winter, with large males topping 1,000 pounds before losing up to a third of their body weight during hibernation.” via Aaron Parnas newsletter