Body-positive Backpack crowned Fat Bear Week champion 2026
Brown bear is selected to have put the most weight on over past year in Katmai National Park in Alaska competition
A bear has been praised for living his best life after being crowned champion of Fat Bear Week at a US national park's annual competition.
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Backpack 89, as the brown bear has been named, was named the winner of a public vote to find the most weight gained by any bear at Katmai National Park in Alaska over the past year.
The public have been voting online over the past week to decide which of the park's bears has put on the most weight based on before-and-after images.
And Backpack took 103,344 votes to the 98,253 of the other finalist, 910, to be named winner.
"Backpack the GOAT," said one supporter on Instagram. Another added: "Well done Backpack, worthy champion."
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The result was not without controversy, however, as many fans had got behind 910 as she was voted through the rounds and expected the female finalist to win.
"I'm happy for Backpack, but I'm genuinely about to start crying in a waffle house over 910 not winning," one said.
Another supporter wrote: "Sad for 910, she put in so much work this year."
What appeared to clinch the vote in Backpack's favour was that his mother, Holly, was named the 2019 Fat Bear Week champion - and had been pictured with her son on her back, hence the nickname.
Holly also had an appealing backstory in that she has raised her own cub and an adoptive niece.
The bears can weigh beyond 500kg but are known to bulk up over summer before they go into hibernation for the winter and can lose one-third of their weight.