Bear named Backpack wins Fat Bear Week in Alaska
Backpack earned his name from the way he clung to his mother's back as a cub. He is now 20 years old and estimated to weigh between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds.
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A big-bellied bear named 89 Backpack had been declared the winner of this year's Fat Bear Week at Alaska's Katmai National Park. (Photo Credit: National Park Service)
Sept. 30 (UPI) -- A big-bellied bear named 89 Backpack had been declared the winner of this year's Fat Bear Week at Alaska's Katmai National Park.
The park announced on social media that Backpack was the victor in the final round of voting against Bear 910.
Katmai park ranger Sarah Bruce said Backpack, a longtime fan favorite who has been popular since debuting on the park's live cams in 2012, won the finals by a margin of about 5,000 votes.
This year marks Backpack's first title in the contest, but his mother, Holly, previously won Fat Bear Week in 2019.
Park officials said more than 2.3 million votes were cast in this year's contest. The initial round of voting proved so popular that the official voting site crashed on the first day of ballots.
Backpack earned his name from the way he clung to his mother's back as a cub. He is now 20 years old and estimated to weigh between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds.
Officials said Backpack has few wounds and scars compared to other male bears his age, which they attributed to his low level of aggression.
"He's more of a stoic presence on the river," Bruce told Alaska Public Media. "He doesn't really get into drama or cause any upset in the hierarchy. He holds his own very quietly."
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