I like fat bears and I can not lie. Fat Bear Week is finally here! In preparation for the long, harsh winter, brown bears at Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska have spent the last months stuffing themselves and packing on the pounds. The chubbiest bears are the ones most likely to emerge healthy next spring. Every year, Katmai features before and after photos of some of the park’s bears so that the public can vote for their favorite husky bears. It’s tons of fun. Vote now: https://explore.org/fat-bear-week Photo of 128 Grazer by A. Ditta, National Park Service.

Every year, people take part in one of our national parks’ best virtual experiences: watching the brown bears at Katmai National Park & Preserve on webcams. It’s so much fun to watch these magnificent animals feast on salmon and pack on the pounds. More body fat means a better chance of winter survival for brown bears, so a fat bear is a healthy bear. To educate and engage the public, the Alaska park holds a Fat Bear Week competition at the end of the salmon run to encourage people to vote for their favorite chubby bear. It’s tons of fun. Photos by National Park Service.

Suns out, tongues out!

It’s the weekend, time to go bear-zerk! With a little patience and luck, visitors to Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge may see black bears like this cub in North Carolina. Alligator River has what is believed to be the highest concentration of black bear in the southeastern United States. As National Wildlife Refuge Week (October 13-19) ends, our celebration and appreciation of the lands and waters of the do not. We’ll keep sharing the wonder of these incredible places from the National Wildlife Refuge System all year long. Photo courtesy of Cass Girvin.

I like fat bears and I can not lie. In preparation for the long, harsh winter, brown bears at Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska have been spent the last months stuffing themselves and packing on the pounds. The chubbiest bears are the ones most likely to emerge healthy next spring. Every year, Katmai features before and after photos of some of the park’s bears so that the public can vote for their favorite husky bears. The competition starts tomorrow on their Facebook page. Do yourself a huge favor and check it out: www.facebook.com/KatmaiNPP Photos by National Park Service.

Fall colors are already spreading across Alaska. It’s a great time to be a photographer there, spotting wildlife and snapping scenery. Photographer Nate Luebbe says “Lake Clark is by far my favorite National Park. Massive, glaciated peaks tower over turquoise lakes, while bears, eagles and moose roam the forests. There’s nowhere else I’ve been that has such amazing photographic potential in every direction.” Photo at Lake Clark National Park courtesy of Nate Luebbe.

Wanna go to brunch? How about thirdmeal? Let’s grab a snack! This time of year, brown bears are going into a process called hyperphagia – an overwhelming urge to eat as much as possible to prepare for winter and hibernation. The bears that pack on the most pounds are the bears most likely to survive the dark, cold months ahead. So when you look at this picture of a bear at Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska, remember that a fat bear is a healthy bear. Photo by National Park Service.

Get beary comfy! It’s National Lazy Day! 

Photo of a Kodiak brown bear napping at Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska by Lisa Hupp, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina is a popular family spot – for black bears! Spotting not two or three, but FOUR cubs is a special treat. Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge has what is believed to be one of the largest concentrations of black bear found in the southeastern United States. It’s not uncommon for visitors to see dozens of bears on a one-hour drive through the refuge. These tiny bear cubs were spotted at the end of May in an area on the refuge that grows crops for waterfowl. Feasting on blueberries and switch cane stems through the summer, the bears are majestic to watch. Please remember to be respectful of these wild animals and follow refuge signs and rules. Photo courtesy of Richard Thigpen.

Sweet moments like this make you want to hit the paws button. While exploring Glacier National Park in Montana, photographer Seth Anderson witnessed this tender scene between a mother black bear and her cub. Between that and the staggering beauty of the mountains from the Lewis Range as a backdrop, it’s an experience he’ll never forget. Photo courtesy of Seth Anderson.

How can you sleep in on Saturday when there’s so much to see and do on public lands? Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee is one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States where black bears can live in wild, natural surroundings. Biologists estimate that roughly 1,500 bears live in the park. Bears have color vision and a keen sense of smell. In addition, they are good tree climbers, swim very well and can run 30 miles per hour. If they want to. This little cub’s just not in the mood. Photo by Matt & Delia Hills (www.sharetheexperience.org).