Why a US national park is holding a 'Fat Bear Week' contest
[ad_1] Image copyright Katmai National Park Image caption The voluptuous bear, named Beadnose, is already a favourite for the prize We have all gained a little extra weight from time to time, but for brown bears, piling on the extra pounds means the difference between life and death. They can hibernate for six months of the year - meaning they have to gorge from July to September in order get through Winter and into the Spring mating season. Katmai National Park - a sprawling eight million acre reserve in Alaska - is poking fun at the process by again hosting their annual "Fat Bear Week". The week-long event, which encourages fans to vote on social media for their favourite animals, pits gorged bears against each other in heats, until one ultimately will take the 2018 crown for their stocky stature. The c...