Backpack is Fat Bear Week's 2026 winner – video

Backpack, an adult brown bear also known as Bear 89, is the champion of the 2026 Fat Bear Week. This annual tournament is hosted by Alaska's Katmai National Park to celebrate how animals prepare for winter hibernation. The gentle giant was officially crowned the winner of the competition. The event serves as a celebration of the bears' physical condition and readiness for their seasonal sleep, marking another successful year for the park's famous tradition.