Fat Bear Week 2026 has begun with 16 brown bears battling for the championship. Chunk, the defending champion, is among the contenders. The event has garnered interest, with voting narrowing the competition to the final two days. Viewers can watch Katmai's bears and cast their votes for the bear they like best. The event has been featured in various media outlets, including KOSU, Your Alaska Link, The Washington Post, KTOO, and theanimalrescuesite.com.