Bear 89, known as Backpack, wins Fat Bear Week in Alaska
Bear 89, a large adult male known as Backpack, has won Alaska's Fat Bear Week, beating Bear 910 after millions of votes from around the world.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Result
Bear 89, a large adult male known as Backpack, has won Fat Bear Week, the annual competition that celebrates the brown bears of Alaska's Katmai National Park as they bulk up for winter.
Voting
The result was announced after a week of voting. Millions of people from around the world took part. The contest has been described as one of the most talked about competitions of the year, and it combines size, skill and snacking ability.
Runner-up
Backpack beat Bear 910, a female born in 2018. She is the daughter of a former Fat Bear Week champion, and she had been the big favourite going into the final vote. Backpack's nickname dates from his time as a cub, when he would ride on his mother's back while she swam in the river.
The competition
Fat Bear Week is held around the bears of Katmai National Park in Alaska. The animals put on weight before winter, and the public vote for the bear they think has bulked up most successfully. This year's winner, Backpack, is an adult male. Bear 910, despite her strong pedigree, finished as runner-up.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News |
|---|---|
| Bear 89, known as Backpack, won this year's Fat Bear Week, defeating Bear 910. | |
| Millions of people worldwide voted in Fat Bear Week over the last week. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC News gave the result a brief, upbeat segment near the end of a bulletin, focusing on the winner's identity, the runner-up's family background and the global scale of voting. It framed Fat Bear Week as a popular annual contest and explained Backpack's nickname for viewers. The channel did not cover conservation issues, voting margins or the wider significance of the event.
- “We now have a winner. Here he is. Bear 89, a large adult male, also known as Backpack.”
- “He beat Bear 910.”
- “So she comes from a good line and she was the big favourite, but not the winner this time.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.