Having survived a week of knockouts in the competition that rewards survival-preparedness, two Katmai National Park brown bears now go head-to-head on the final day of Fat Bear Week. Only one will be crowned fattest of the fat.
The two finalists are听not underdogs (). Beadnose is a single female who won Fat Bear Week over Otis in 2015, and who听got absolutely mammoth听this year with听no cubs to feed. And while it should be noted that 747 started out the summer less lean than Beadnose, he鈥檚 always had a strong showing in the brackets听and a campaigning advantage since he shares an ID number with an airliner.
Voters now face a difficult decision on . 鈥淗e鈥檚 got a big stomach,鈥 one conflicted commenter said of 747. 鈥淏ut Beadnose is fat ALL OVER.鈥澨鼳nother argued that it听comes down to the same image savviness that may have given Otis the edge in previous years:听鈥淚 would like to remind everyone that Beadnose is sitting down, which gives her an optical advantage.鈥 It鈥檚 up to the internet to decide. Voting closes at 7 p.m. eastern time.
This year is the first that two-time winner (and adopted son of 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine) Otis won鈥檛 be facing off in the final round of voting. The aging champion听didn鈥檛 even make it past his first round after getting a bye week. Though he鈥檚 still a majestic dumpling听in our hearts, he鈥檚 certainly not as well-filled a dumpling as he used to be, and that鈥檚 okay. In these 听,听the voluptuous bears of Katmai are a blessing, one and all.
Still, we鈥檙e keeping a close watch on听the race for Fattest of 2018. We admire 747鈥檚 rolly thighs and nearly floor-grazing belly, and maybe it鈥檚 time he got the spotlight for once. But Beadnose has already gone viral this week with her awkward facial expression, fluffy coat, and .
Besides, as one commenter aptly put it: 鈥淚鈥檓 tired of well-qualified females not getting the vote.鈥