Fat Bear Week 2023: Grazer crowned fattest bear of the year

Bear 128 Grazer is Queen of the forest

The hunt for the title of Fat Bear 2023 has come to an end as the new champion has been crowned.

The competition between the two finalists was huge - but it was Mama Bear 128 Grazer that came out on top to become this year's Queen of the forest.

She faced tough competition from male bear 32 Chunk in the final, but ended up with more than four times the number of votes.

Grazer has successfully raised two litters of bears - which are known as cubs - and is known to confront much larger bears for food!

32 Chunk claimed second spot this year

The annual competition held between a group of bears living in Alaska's Katmai National Park in the United States attracts fans from all over the world.

The aim of the game is to see which Alaskan brown bear has gained the most weight ahead of winter, which will help them as they hibernate. (Find out about hibernation below)

"It is a way to celebrate the resilience, adaptability and strength of Katmai's brown bears" say Katmai National Park service.

This year the competition ran between 4 October - 10 October, and people from all over the world voted for which bear they thought was the chonkiest of them all!

What is hibernation, why do bears hibernate?

Mama bear 435 Holly was a biiiiiig challenger this year

Hibernation is a way for animals - such as butterflies, hedgehogs, bears and bats - to survive cold winters without having to hunt for food or move to somewhere warmer.

Instead, they head into cosy dens and go into a sleep-like state for a few months, where they do not eat or drink, and turn down their metabolisms to save energy.

It's very important that brown bears put on lots of weight before winter ahead of hibernation season, as they can lose up to a third of their body weight during this season.

The more they gain, the better they're likely to do during the cold months.