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The National Park Service's annual Fat Bear Week contest was fraught with controversy this year as people were shocked to find out election tampering occurred during the contest's voting.
The anticipated event is hosted online every year by Alaska's Katmai National Park where 12 brown bears are chosen to compete for the coveted title of bulkiest bear.
The contest's elimination style tournament consists of single head to head rounds where voters submit their choices via an internet poll.
This year's tourney tipped off on October 5.
\u201cPresenting your Titans of Tub and hulking, hefty heroes! These bears will soon duke it out to see which tanking tummy reigns supreme. Check out their bios and pics at https://t.co/V2bF4olcpu.\n\nTell us who you think should win (extra points for being punny)! #FatBearWeek\u201d— Katmai National Park (@Katmai National Park) 1664845251
\u201cGet infatuated with fat and pick which bear-blimp has ballooned best. These corpulent challengers prepare all season for winter by feasting on fish. #FatBearWeek starts tomorrow at 8am AK at https://t.co/thJwxp9wuP.\n\nWant more pics? See Katmai\u2019s Flickr at https://t.co/sj7j4bItIz\u201d— Katmai National Park (@Katmai National Park) 1664899468
\u201cHappy #FatBearWeek from rangers here at Katmai! Don\u2019t forget to vote. Polls close at 5pm AKDT at https://t.co/thJwxp9wuP. \n\n[Video: Opens with text on screen \u201cKatmai National Park and Preserve\u201d with National Park arrowhead. 14 rangers say \u201cHappy Fat Bear Week\u201d]\u201d— Katmai National Park (@Katmai National Park) 1665000001
The tournament progressed with the ursine competitors rising through the ranks or falling to the weigh-side.
\u201cDay 1 down w/ record voting. With his built up Boeing body, 747 jetted ahead to cruising altitude. Meanwhile the innovative ichthyologist 164 rinsed away his competition w/ a sneak attack from under the falls.\nVote again tomorrow at 8am AK at https://t.co/thJwxp9wuP. #FatBearWeek\u201d— Katmai National Park (@Katmai National Park) 1665018041
However, during one of the semifinal rounds culprits are purported to have spammed the online voting system in a brazen attempt to influence the results.
Luckily, members of staff from explore.org quickly caught on to the issue before any damage could be done to bear reputations.
See the announcements below:
\u201c\ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udea8FAT BEAR WEEK SCANDAL\ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udea8\n\nLike bears stuff their face with fish, our ballot box, too, has been stuffed.\u201d— Katmai National Park (@Katmai National Park) 1665366972
\u201cStopped by TSA for smuggling salmon, 435 missed her connection while jumbo jet 747 cleared the runway. This capacious cargo carrier cruised to the finals w/ a triumphant tailwind. Go to https://t.co/thJwxpa4kn at 8am AK to vote in 10/10's #FatBearWeek match of fur-ocious females.\u201d— Katmai National Park (@Katmai National Park) 1665366972
\u201c\ud83d\udc3b A Fat Bear Week scandal for the ages \ud83d\udc3b\nSomeone stuffed the ballot box! The correct total after our review is:\n747: 37,940\n435: 30,430\nThat makes 747 today's winner.\nFake votes are discarded, and all the past days' votes have been reviewed.\nWe'll see you tomorrow!\u201d— explore.org (@explore.org) 1665367809
Suspicions of foul play arose after a bear contestant named 435 Holly appeared to make a miraculous comeback after trailing by 6,000 votes against her heavily favored opponent, 2020 champion 747.
\u201cCue tumbleweed, saddle up. Brooks ain\u2019t big enough for the 2 of em. Upstream, incredible bulk 747 funnels fish like a frequent-flier. Downstream, Queen of Corpulence 435 is here for a quickdraw comeback w/ her superfluous solidity. Vote by 5AK https://t.co/thJwxoRV6f #FatBearWeek\u201d— Katmai National Park (@Katmai National Park) 1665331315
Spokesperson Candace Rusch from explore.org, commented that 9,000 fake votes were leveraged to potentially sway the vote.
"While not unheard of, it is very uncommon for a bear to come back late in the day like that. We ended up finding just over 9,000 spam votes."
"There were some spam votes for 747 as well, maybe to throw us off?"
After the collusion was unearthed, Rusch explained fake votes were subsequently teased out and discarded from the voting system. The previous day's votes were then taken into account with 747 rightfully advancing to the final round.
For Rusch, the integrity of the contest is no small matter as every year tens of thousands of voters participate in its outcome.
Katmai National Park claims the yearly vote is a way to honor the brown bears that inhabit its ecosystem.
\u201cWe interrupt your daily scrolling to remind you to vote! Bears need backing and it\u2019s up to you to support your favorite ursid. Earn your \u201cI Voted 2022\u201d sticker by voting at https://t.co/thJwxp9wuP. Today\u2019s polls close at 5pm AKDT. #FatBearWeek\u201d— Katmai National Park (@Katmai National Park) 1665086559
Many Fat Bear Week fans took to social media in celebration of this year's event.
\u201cHappy Fat Bear Week to all who celebrate \u201d— Washington Post TikTok Guy \ud83c\udf83 (@Washington Post TikTok Guy \ud83c\udf83) 1665097835
\u201chappy fat bear week to all who celebrate \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— bee (@bee) 1664156520
\u201cgive a ROUND of applause for FAT BEAR WEEK AHHH!!!\u201d— fatbearsmallchair (@fatbearsmallchair) 1665097506
\u201cHeard it was Fat Bear Week\u201d— \ud83c\udf83 Fat Dragon Dude \ud83c\udf83 (@\ud83c\udf83 Fat Dragon Dude \ud83c\udf83) 1665090046
Others stress the importance of the contest's awareness.
\u201cThe very idea that anyone would question the importance of Fat Bear Week boils the blood and boggles the mind\u201d— Willie Muse (@Willie Muse) 1665000706
\u201cIT\u2019S CALLED FAT BEAR WEEK. EVERY YEAR FROM OCT 5-11 KATAMI NATIONAL PARK IN ALASKA HOLDS A LIGHTHEARTED PUBLIC VOTE FOR THE FATTEST BROWN BEAR, BC SIZE MEANS SURVIVING HIBERNATION. 480 OTIS IS THE REIGNING CHAMPION AND HE\u2019S WON 4X BUT I THINK 901 DESERVES TO WIN THIS YEAR BECAUS\u201d— darth fuckhands mcmike the wise (@darth fuckhands mcmike the wise) 1664987184
Despite this year's voting fiasco, Fat Bear Week's winner was announced on October 11.
In the lead up to the final decision there appeared to be a neck and neck showdown between former champ 747 and surprise newcomer 901.
The two behemoth bears both showcased considerable gains in body mass while making their biological preparations for hibernation over the Winter.
\u201c\ud83d\udc3b HAPPY FAT BEAR TUESDAY!\ud83d\udc3b \nThe polls are now open for our fat bear finale.\n747 vs. 901: both of them are fat, but only one of them can be the ultimate Fat Bear Week champion.\nReady, set, vote at https://t.co/Jl79YciHHZ\u201d— explore.org (@explore.org) 1665504024
Ultimately, only one could be crowned winner and it was 747 who came home with the victory.
The fat bear veteran toppled his rookie adversary by a whopping 11,000 more online votes.
\u201cTHIS 747 IS CLEARED FOR LANDING. Introducing your 2022 \ud83d\udc51 Fat Bear Week champion.\u201d— explore.org (@explore.org) 1665536416
\u201cThank you to everyone who participated in this year\u2019s Fat Bear Week. We had a record-breaking 1,027,655 votes; that\u2019s a lot of love for these flourishing fat-tabulous bears!\n\nAnd now for a well deserved post-meal nap (or successful hibernation).\n\nPhoto 747 courtesy of M. Walker\u201d— Katmai National Park (@Katmai National Park) 1665590307
Katmai National Park also thanked the contest's spawn-sors.
\u201cLet\u2019s thank the real MVP of Katmai\u2019s ecosystem: salmon! Katmai supports one of the healthiest runs of sockeye salmon, which sustains the park\u2019s large concentration of bears. W/o salmon, there'd be no #FatBearWeek.This contest was made possible by spawn-sors like you, thank you!\u201d— Katmai National Park (@Katmai National Park) 1665676802
Due to this year's circumstances, the winner was announced with assurances that zero tampering occurred during the final round of voting.
There seems to be no controversy over the results as many have since come out to celebrate 747's victory.
Although, the local salmon may still take issue.