Would one say winning a race with a broken leg is possible? What about taking first place in an art competition with one hand? No broken legs or limbless circumstances could get in the way of this determined animal. Located in Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, Chunk the Bear took the crown for Fat Bear Week for the year 2025. What makes this victory particularly remarkable was the strain of a broken jaw that Chunk is able to withstand and conquer.
The brown bear, currently approximately 20-years-old, was identified within the park grounds as a cub when he was two-years-old in 2007. One can commonly describe him by certain features, such as dark-colored fur, prominent brow ridge, low-set eyes, and a noticeable scar on his face. Despite having yet to claim the title of “Fattest” Bear, once Chunk became a regular at Brook Falls – the hot-spot waterfall where salmon abundance was regular for the bears to fish – expectations rose due to his thick coat and heavy-set body. Despite the rising standards for this growing Bruin, an incident occurred between him and a fellow mama bear that put him and his reputation at risk after reaching headlines in the summer of 2024.
It’s the summer of July 2024, and Chunk the Bear is peacefully lounging after a nice meal of freshly caught salmon from Falls Creek. Suddenly falling from the waterfall above, two bear cubs come splashing down, invading his territory. In order to protect his grounds, he attacks one of the vulnerable cubs. In an attempt to save her babies, Grazer charged to the scene of the ambush. Unfortunately, she arrived a couple of seconds too late where she found her baby cub had succumbed to his injuries and had departed from the Earth.
To Chunk, it was his only way of defending himself and his territory. To the viewers on the livestream of the 2024 Fat Bear Of The Week, it was a brutal murder of an innocent and weak cub, given no mercy. That year, Chunk the Bear was not only a killer of cubs in America, but a runner-up to the fattest bear that year: Grazer.
Despite Chunk’s dark past, he defeated all odds this year, including a broken jaw. In June 2025, Chunk ran into a dispute with a fellow male bear on park grounds. Mating season occurs from May to July for this park in Alaska. In addition, females often mate with multiple males. This not only creates a tense and aggressive environment between male bears during this time-period, but fights are more likely to occur between them. This could be a valid explanation for the fight between Chunk and the other male bear that caused him to lose his jaw.
The behemoth adapted to his injury that would have, to many, been portrayed as a weakness. He altered his eating behavior to accommodate his situation and gained the most weight out of all his competitors. Viewers on the livestream had great adoration and praise for the grizzly, who despite being in the face of adversity, overcame it with resilience and courage. Chunk won this year’s competition weighing a whopping 1,200 pounds, beating the two-time champion Grazer, breaking her streak.
When things seem impossible and there seems to be no way out, attain Chunk’s mindset, and you will be able to conquer anything that comes your way. He not only redeemed his scarred reputation, but also overcame an injury putting him at risk for the competition. Think like Chunk. Eat like Chunk. Win like Chunk. Be Chunk.
