Week Celebrates 'Thick Bear,' Embracing Presumed Nutritious Indulgence
In the heart of Alaska's wilderness, Katmai National Park is preparing for its annual spectacle, Fat Bear Week. This event, which begins today, attracts thousands to millions of spectators worldwide as they follow the bears in the park as they feast before hibernation.
The abundance of Fat Bear Week is maintained by the management of the Bristol Bay Fishery by the state of Alaska. Approximately 800,000 to 2,000,000 salmon return to the Naknek River each year to breed, providing a bounty for the bears. If the number of salmon returning is not met, fishing is closed during certain tides to ensure the sustainability of the fishery, a practice that has been successful for several decades.
The bears' transformation from stick figures to 1,000-pound orbs is a visual spectacle during Fat Bear Week. Their consumption of sockeye salmon is imperative for their survival during the six-month hibernation. Interestingly, the bears' waste is healthful and nourishes trees and provides early access to salmon carcasses for scavengers, contributing to the park's "trickle down economy."
The bears' weight maintains their body heat, provides energy for metabolic processes, and supports the survival of newborn cubs. This year, Bear 435, Holly, was crowned "queen of corpulence" in 2019 without any hint of sarcasm or mockery.
The success and wholeness of places like Katmai National Park are essential for conservation. Humans have lived sustainably in its current borders for at least 9,000 years, a testament to the park's bountiful resources. The majority of fishermen are lifers or come from fishing families and understand the need for sustainable practices.
The management of resources should respect the boundaries that make their bounty possible. Kate Raworth's doughnut economics proposes a sustainable level of consumption that doesn't overshoot planetary boundaries, a philosophy that seems to be embodied in the bears' feeding habits during Fat Bear Week.
Connecting to nature through the bear cams is "healing" for many people. In one case, a lost hiker was rescued after mouth the words, "I need help" into the Dumpling Mountain cam, and livestream viewers, Explore.org, and park rangers coordinated to rescue him.
The bears of Fat Bear Week and the ecosystem they feed on provide a model of consumption to preserve and emulate. Their annual event serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of sustainable practices for the health of our planet.
