A looming government shutdown threatens to claw its way into a crowd-pleasing Alaska tradition: Fat Bear Week.
vote in tournament-style brackets for those they want to advance to the next round until a champion is crowned in the weeklong contest.and release those votes — and a shutdown won’t allow them to do so because it would trigger a ban on using the park’s official social media accounts for as long as the government is closed.
Alaska’s most-watched popularity contest, Fat Bear Week involves residents picking their favorite fat brown bear who’s been stocking up for winter by noshing on salmon in Katmai National Park & Preserve.The National Park Service estimates that 2,200 brown bears inhabit the park, a number exceeding the people who live on the peninsula.
The Katmai brown bears are famous for standing at Brooks Falls, catching sockeye salmon in their mouths to fatten up for the winter.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Could a government shutdown affect Fat Bear Week?The looming government shutdown could affect Fat Bear Week -- the annual celebration of wild bears who put on weight to prepare for hibernation.
Read more »
Could a government shutdown affect Fat Bear Week?A government shutdown could have potentially unbearable consequences for wildlife fans. The looming shutdown would affect Fat Bear Week, the paw-pular annual celebration of wild bears who put on weight to prepare for hibernation.
Read more »
Katmai’s Fat Bear Junior competition kicks off this weekThe winner has a chance to compete against their senior bear counterparts next week.
Read more »
Fat Bear Week falls prey to impending government shutdownThough the bears will continue to feast on salmon in Katmai National Park and Preserve, the popular competition to crown the most bodacious bruin will be paused.
Read more »
Fat Bear Week could be another government shutdown casualtyThe National Park Service employees who monitor Fat Bear Week for privately run Explore.org would be among the federal workers furloughed.
Read more »