The annual "Weaver of Fat Bears" vote in Alaska, USA started on September 22 (local time), bringing brown bears in Katmai National Park into a "special competition" before entering hibernation.
The competition quickly became one of the events that the online community was waiting for. The brown bears at Katmai National Park were paired up for viewers to vote for, thereby finding the individual with the most impressive weight gain after many months of foraging.
Animal lovers can directly monitor bears catching salmon on the Brooks River or view profiles of "candidates", including photos before and after summer showing clear changes in appearance after weight accumulation.
According to the rules, in each match, participants will vote for the bear with the most impressive fatness, health and survival ability. Individuals who receive more votes will continue to the next round until they find the bear to win the champion title.
Last year, the Chunk bear won after overcoming Grazer, an individual who had twice won the title.
Weight gain in the summer and early autumn is important for brown bears in Alaska. During about 5 months of hibernation, they do not eat but rely on the amount of fat accumulated in their bodies to overcome the harsh winter.
The voting activity started in 2014, initially only attracting a few thousand people to participate in voting. To date, the event has become an annual activity that many people are waiting for online, with more than one million votes each year.
Behind the humorous form of voting, the event aims to raise public awareness about brown bears, their habitat in Alaska as well as the dangers that this animal faces from human activities.
