Chunk The 1,200-Pound Bruiser Crowned Fat Bear Week Champion

October 1, 2025

All hail the new heavyweight king of Katmai!

“King of Chonk” himself, Bear 32 — better known as Chunk — has officially claimed the crown in Fat Bear Week 2025, tipping the (imaginary) scales at a jaw-dropping 1,200 pounds.

Even with a broken jaw in his past, this massive bear proved unstoppable, defeating rival Bear 856 in the final round of the annual fan-favorite competition.

The National Park Service had plenty of fun announcing the winner:

“King of Chonk: 32 Chunk clinches the crown! Fat Bear Week 2025 wrapped with a plump-tastic finale as the junk in the trunk of 32 Chunk proved too much for Bear 856… Heavy is the Bear that wears the crown.”

For those new to the craze, Fat Bear Week is an online, bracket-style showdown where fans around the world vote for their favorite beefed-up bruins from Katmai National Park in Alaska. Live webcams let viewers track 12 bears as they gorge on salmon to prepare for winter hibernation.

And while Chunk waddled away with this year’s crown, the Park Service reminded everyone that “in the end, every bear is a winner — and special thanks to the salmon.”

As for measuring these chunky champions, the Park Service joked: “The volunteer who pulls the shortest stick is handed a bathroom scale.”

In reality, researchers use terrestrial LiDAR scanning to estimate the bears’ volumes. But one thing doesn’t need measuring: Chunk’s massive popularity.

From his legendary bulk to his resilience, Bear 32 has secured his place in Fat Bear Week history. Long live the King of Chonk!