Chunk 32, a 1,200-pound male brown bear, was spotted on live cameras Wednesday at the park’s southwestern Brooks Falls.
asserted
Chunk → spot → Falls
Chunk’s landslide win last year was remarkable, officials say, given the fact he had injuries including a broken jaw.
asserted
he → say → jaw
It remains unknown how his injuries were sustained.
asserted
injuries → remain → ?
“His entire mandible, one of his canines and his front teeth are just completely broken,” Katmai National Park ranger Sarah Bruce told KTUU Thursday.
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Bruce → break → canines
“That bone is completely broken and he’s still able to get really fat.
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he → break → ?
But whether Chunk can keep his crown this season is up for debate.
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keep → keep → debate
“There are more cubs at Brooks Camp this year than have been seen in a long time,” Park Superintendent Mark Sturm said in a statement.
asserted
Sturm → be → statement
“A new generation of fat bears is taking shape, and they’re off to a strong start.”
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they → take → start
Chunk’s competitors in the September 22-29 battle royale - the 12th annual Fat Bear Week - are expected to be announced Friday.
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competitors → expect → royale
Last year, a dozen furry competitors faced off in single-elimination brackets for online voters, who took part from more than 100 countries.
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who → face → countries
Over 1.7 million votes were cast by the time the week was over, according to the National Park Service - a far cry from fewer than 1,700 votes when the contest first started.
uncertain
contest → cast → votes
There is no actual prize for the bears, but the winner "best exemplifies fatness and success in brown bears," officials say on the contest website.
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officials → be → website
However Fat Bear Week marks the yearly preparation for the bears’ October and November hibernation period.
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Week → mark → period
Bears hibernate to conserve energy and because food sources are scarce in the winter.
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sources → hibernate → winter
During summer and early fall, the bears need to consume a lot of food - like sockeye salmon - to help them build up fat reserves for energy needed during hibernation.
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them → need → hibernation
Bears may consume upwards of 200,000 calories each day when they’re stocking up.
uncertain
they → consume → calories
Scientists make educated estimates how much they weigh because they don’t want to disturb the animals.
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they → make → animals
Approximately 2,200 brown bears live in Katmai, which is also home to moose, wolves, and bald eagles.
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which → live → moose
How did Fat Bear Week start?
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Week → start → ?
Fat Bear Week started in 2014 thanks to Mike Fitz, a former ranger at the 4-million acre park.
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Week → start → park
Fitz had been looking for a way to highlight the immense changes a bear goes through after seeing two images of the same bear in June and September that were startlingly different.
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that → look → June
He and rangers held a one-day event, with votes cast on Facebook.
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votes → hold → Facebook
The first full-bodied Fat Bear Week was held October 7-13 of the next year, with its popularity growing since then.
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popularity → hold → year
What happened last year?
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What → happen → ?
Last year, Chunk bested a veteran bear, known as “856”, following a narrow loss to 128 Grazer - the first mother bear to clinch the title - in 2024.
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Chunk → best → 2024
Chunk’s loss was likely swayed by history with 128 Grazer’s cub.
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loss → sway → cub
Chunk attacked the cub after the young bear slipped over the waterfall and floated into his fishing spot.
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bear → attack → spot
Grazer fought Chunk but the cub ultimately died.
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cub → fight → Chunk
How can you vote this year?
Votes are cast on fatbearweek.org.
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Votes → vote → fatbearweek.org
If you want a taste of the voting right now, there are several sample polls already posted to the website.
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you → want → website
The Aporia
