Fat Bear Week: US shutdown threatens to trample over Alaska’s annual contest

Beloved, closely watched ursine popularity competition judging the stockiest bear before hibernation threatened by shutdown

A looming government shutdown threatens to claw its way into a crowd-pleasing Alaska tradition: Fat Bear Week.

Alaska's most-watched popularity contest, Fat Bear Week involves residents picking their favorite fat brown bear who's been stocking up for winter by noshing on salmon in Katmai national park & preserve. Viewers of the bears vote online in tournament-style brackets for those they want to advance to the next round until a champion is crowned in the weeklong contest.