Welcome to the Fat Bear Week semi-finals where the bears are well-fed and the voters are well-read!
Full disclosure: these are not unbiased updates. Here’s who I’m voting for today:
Match 1: The 132 Family vs 910
132 mothered her babies with wisdom and grace this summer. Her colossal claim to fame was when one of her cubs got separated for over a week, but later reunited with the family. Honestly, it was a big fat miracle. The lore goes that 132 was such a seasoned mom she just knew where to look. In a summer of depressing headlines (we’re talkingmultiplecub deaths), this was the good news she (and we) needed.
I will admit that 910’s been putting in the work and she’s got the girth to go further. If 910 advances (which I predict she will), then I’ll write more about how much I love her (which is tons).
Still, we should weigh the fact that 132 had four mouths to feed, and three of those mouths were always moving. My vote goes to this single supermom.
Match 2: 89 Backpack vs 164 Bucky
In a world of fighters, 89 Backpack is a lover.
Of the final four contestants, 89 Backpack is the oldest. He’s also the least traditional. Backpack was raised in an environment that, by and large, rewards male aggression. And yet, he chooses peace. This is a bear who packs a paunch, not punches.
How did he grow to be such a docile, nonviolent bear? Maybe it was nature: his mother, 435 Holly, was known to be highly tolerant of others—so tolerant that later she would also welcome an abandoned cub into her family. Maybe it was nurture: when young Backpack had an injury (we think his leg was broken), his mother patiently adapted their lifestyle around it. This tenderness allowed Backpack the time and space he needed to heal.
Backpack grew into a behemoth of a bear who now has both size and seniority at his disposal. He could demand rich fishing spots, submission, sex. What we see instead is a bear who dances before his beloved. What we see is a bear so idle and blessed, he has a favorite river rock to sit on. Amidst a culture of power and dominance, what we see is a bear who just wants to live in harmony with others.
There’s a lot of broken things about our world. But Backpack was born with, met with, and continues to lead with gentleness. I’ve been hungry my whole life to vote for someone like him.
May the fattest bear win. Vote today from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. AKDT atfatbearweek.org.
Copyright 2026 KTOO