Fat Bear Week 2026 has started with 16 brown bears competing for the championship. Chunk, the defending champion, is one of the participants. The event has garnered interest, with the competition being narrowed down to the final last two days. Viewers can watch Katmai's bears and vote for their favorite chunky bear. The event has been featured in various media outlets, including KOSU, Your Alaska Link, The Washington Post, KTOO, and theanimalrescuesite.com.