The reigning Fat Bear Week champion is confirmed to be back on the move after National Park Service employees filmed "Chunk" reemerging after hibernation.
Chunk, the massive brown bear who won 2025's Fat Bear Week competition, was spotted again in Alaska's Katmai National Park, giving fans an early look at the beloved bear after his winter hibernation.
The sighting marks the seasonal return of one of the park's most recognizable bears, and one whose 2025 victory made him an internet darling.
New footage shared at the beginning of May by the Fat Bear Week Instagram account (@FatBearWeek) shows Chunk, formally named Bear 32, looking noticeably slimmer than he did at the height of last year's Fat Bear Week — but he still commanded attention. The video, captioned "Return of the Champ," shows Chunk walking across snow in Katmai.
The timing of Chunk's return is notable because Katmai National Park's bears are only just beginning to reappear from hibernation, and the salmon-heavy feeding season at the nearby Brooks River usually does not begin until late June, per USA Today.
In other words, this is the leaner part of the bears' annual cycle, long before they reach the famously bulky size that makes them competitive during the Fat Bear Week bracket-style competition each fall.
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Chunk had achieved victory last year despite an apparently broken jaw and split lip. These injuries, while likely excruciating, didn't prevent the bear from packing on enough pounds to achieve victory in the contest.
"Chunk is a prime example of what it means to be resilient," wrote the Katmai Conservancy in a blog post regarding 2025's Fat Bear Week competition. "Facing a broken jaw throughout the summer, nobody knew what the season would look like for him, but there is no denying that he defied all expectations."
The new video included comments that addressed the injury. One commenter noted, "Jaw looks improved a bit? I was hoping a long rest would do that. He is in nice shape, I think."
Another added, "Is that really Chunk? His jaw looks good!"
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A third said, "Jaw looks better for sure! Welcome back 32!"
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