00:00Fat Bear Week is almost here.
00:02The annual Katmai National Park competition where people vote for the brown bears that have bulked up the most for
00:07winter.
00:08And for these bears, trading for the title means eating a lot.
00:11Before hibernation, they enter a feeding frenzy known as hyperphagia,
00:15eating as much as possible to build the fat reserves they'll rely on for months.
00:18Weather doesn't trigger that process, but it can influence the conditions surrounding it.
00:22And one food can play a big role in a contender season.
00:26Salmon.
00:26They're a major source of calories for Katmai bears and river conditions including water temperature and flow
00:31can influence when salmon move through the water.
00:34That can affect when and where bears find their best fishing opportunities.
00:38Then as fall sets in, colder temperatures and snowfall can help influence when bears head for their dens.
00:43Food availability, age, sex, and whether a bear has cubs also plays a role.
00:48So when Fat Bear Week voters size up this year's contenders, they're seeing more than a grisly appetite.
00:53They're seeing months of feeding, biology, and an entire ecosystem helping these bears prepare for winter.
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