Explaining the draw of gawking at massive bears, a park ranger says, 'You can follow the bears for years and really get to know their lives and their personalities and their soap operas.'
32 Chunk, known for his girth and a scar on his muzzle, has become one of the most dominant males on the Brooks River. But is that enough for him to win Fat Bear Week?competition, celebrating the ability of brown bears to pack on weight for their hibernation cycle in Alaska. To do that, they must gobble tons of fish — and luckily, they live near a thriving sockeye salmon run.
"We have some of the largest bears on the planet," Boak said."The big boars, the biggest guys, can get to be between 1,000 and 1,400 pounds."But it's not just about the guys. Female brown bears also pack on massive heft, and they do it while raising cubs. "You can follow the bears for years and really get to know their lives and their personalities and their soap operas," Boak said.128 Grazer is well-known as a tough bear, competing for the best fishing spots. This summer, without cubs to care for, she has grown to a huge size.
But many voters often give extra credit to any bear that dramatically went from a gaunt, emaciated creature in the spring to a portly ruler of the river in October. And some bears just gain fans with their quirks and personal stories.
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