A Clubfoot Bear with a Broken Jaw Has Been Recognized as Alaska's Fattest Bear (3 photos + 1 video)
Alaska held its eleventh annual "Fat Bear Week" competition. Spectators watched the 12 contenders compete in Katmai National Park. A big bear named Chunk emerged victorious in the competition for weight gain before hibernation. 
Weighing approximately 544 kilograms, this is his first victory in three years, when he consistently placed second.
Viewers watch the animals online and then vote on which best represents plumpness and success.
While the bears are not weighed during the competition for safety reasons, laser technology called LIDAR has previously been used to assess the weight of "contestants." 
At the start of the competition, Chunk was considered an underdog, but finished first despite a broken jaw.
According to Mike Fitz, naturalist-in-residence at Explore.org, the animal was injured during a fight over a female bear. Grizzly Bear learned to eat salmon differently and became one of the largest and most aggressive inhabitants of Brooks Rivers.
The contest received the most votes in history—over 1.5 million—and Chunk, also known as Bear 32, defeated Bear 856 in the final round.
By late summer, adult males reach a weight of 700 to 900 pounds (320 to 410 kg). Some specimens can reach up to 1,200 pounds (545 kg). Females are approximately half the size of males. 
Last year's champion, Grazer, held the title for two years in a row.
A live broadcast from 2024 showed cub Grazer slipping down a waterfall and ending up near Chunk's fishing spot. The mother bear engaged in a fight with Chunk, who fatally wounded the cub. Following the tragic incident, viewers voted for Grazer.
