Fat Bear Week is back for 2022: 12 of Alaska's Fattest Bears Compete for the Title

Who's the fattest of them all? Fat Bear Week kicks off as 12 of Alaska national park's chunkiest beasts are judged on the best pre-hibernation transformation after gorging themselves to prepare for winter

• Every year, Katmai National Park in Alaska pits 12 brown bears against each other in an online poll for fans
• The winner, crowned the fattest bear, is the one to have best packed on the pounds for a winter of hibernation
• The bears are pitted against each other in a series of knock-out rounds starting on October 5 until the winner is revealed on Fat Bear Tuesday, which will be on October 11 this year

Fat Bear candidate 128 Grazer is approximately 17-19 years old. 

Fat Bear candidate 435 Holly is in her mid to late 20s

Bear 131

Bear 128 again

Bear 727

Bear 402

Bear 480

Bear 901

Bear 435 

Bear 480

Bear 164

Bear 854

Bear 747

Bear 151