This all took place in Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska and here’s maybe all you need to know about the winner:
Last year’s contest drew more than 200,000 votes, Ms. Kraft said. This year’s competition, which began on Sept. 30 and ran through Oct. 6, when a victor was named, attracted about more than 600,000 votes.
Note: The entire population of Alaska is 731,545. I’m hoping the 600,000 fat bear voters vote in the upcoming 2020 election, even though it’s of lesser weight. (Alaska right now is 4.6 plus for the fat orange bear.)
The crown for the fattest bear in Alaska went to Bear 747 — an adult male named for the mammoth jet plane.
Bear 747, nicknamed the Earl of Avoirdupois, was voted the heftiest out of 12 contestants. In the final round on Tuesday, he defeated a bear named 32 Chunk, with more than 47,000 votes to about 28,800.
“This year he really packed on the pounds, looking like he was fat enough to hibernate in July and yet continuing to eat until his belly seemed to drag along the ground by late September,” the park said in its announcement.
I trust you don’t need me to translate “Avoirdupois,” but you do need me to tell you to click on the link to see the Earl in his mammoth glory. (Scroll past last year’s winner to see the Earl. He is genuinely much fatter than last year’s.)
And Dear Fat Bear Contest People: I do think your winner should have a name beyond a number. The bear he beat is Chunk. A nickname isn’t good enough for this majestic pig of a bear.