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Animals

The Internet Is in Love With These Adorable Fat Bears

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At Katmai National Park in Alaska, the bears are getting fat. Really fat. 
Fat helps brown bears get through hibernation, which can lasts up to six months. “Over the course of winter hibernation in the den, a bear could lose up to one third of its body mass,” according to a press release from the park, which just kicked off its fourth annual Fat Bear Week on Wednesday.
To prepare for the long winter, bears enter “hyperphagia,” a period when the bears eat excessively to gain weight—up to four pounds per day. The bears will wake up in the spring and again begin the search of food.
Take a look at how these bears supersized themselves: 

At peak season, brown bears can add up to four pounds of weight a day.
Bear 409 looks like she had no trouble with that. (Yes, this is the same bear. We’re screaming.) pic.twitter.com/Wk1gSjDReX
— Katmai National Park (@KatmaiNPS) October 5, 2018

Over the course of the summer, bear 812 went from bony to butterball. During winter hibernation, a bear can lose up to one third of its body mass. #FatBearWeek pic.twitter.com/BAJfwgX9CI
— Katmai National Park (@KatmaiNPS) October 4, 2018

Over the course of the summer 854 Divot has certainly bulked up. A single sockeye salmon has about 4,000 calories and these bears can eat upwards of two dozen per day during peak season. #FatBearWeek pic.twitter.com/WFknlctAJO
— Katmai National Park (@KatmaiNPS) October 3, 2018

While ascending the dominance ladder at Brooks Falls, 151 Walker was able to pack on the pounds nicely over the course of the season #FatBearWeek pic.twitter.com/L3Y11tnYd0
— Katmai National Park (@KatmaiNPS) October 3, 2018

How the meaty have fallen! A #FatBearWeek recap:
In an upset, 409 Beadnose steamrolled reigning champ 480 Otis.And current mom 435 Holly couldn’t keep up with solo sow 854 Divot.
409 and 854 will now face each other in the sweet, salty semifinals Sunday. pic.twitter.com/UVySI4RIUl
— Katmai National Park (@KatmaiNPS) October 6, 2018

The bears went viral this week, generating a ton of responses from Twitter users: 

#FatBearWeek #AStarIsBorn pic.twitter.com/jOygVhhpbZ
— Robin Zlotnick (@RobinZlotnick) October 5, 2018

Queen
— kyle (@yungsufjan) October 5, 2018

Same. https://t.co/8jabhl20xJ
— Audrey Cooper (@audreycoopersf) October 6, 2018

Absolute unit. https://t.co/OjyZ4tP8Ce
— RossWBOO (@RossWB) October 5, 2018

U ARE LOOKING GREAT BEAR 409 DO NOT LET ANY BODY TELL U DIFFERENT https://t.co/Ka0DuHJLg6
— darth™ (@darth) October 5, 2018

You can watch the bears on the park’s Bear Cams.

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