Mike Fitz

“Each bear tells us stories about survival in the wild.”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz said each bear tells stories about survival in the wild.

“We see a lot of ourselves in brown bears. We see how hard mother bears work to raise their cubs. We understand their hunger, at least on some level,”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz said people see themselves in brown bears and understand their hunger on some level.

“He’s not even 10 years old and he’s just a giant.”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz noted that Bear 164 is not even 10 years old and is a giant.

“There’s a bear, No 910, who didn’t have cubs this year – she had cubs in the past, but she was single this year – she’s just a balloon,”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz described Bear 910, who did not have cubs this year, as looking like a balloon.

“And that helps us to form deeper connections with them and tell their stories about surviving in the wild.”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz said following individual bears helps form deeper connections and tell their stories about surviving in the wild.

“A bear might have a really compelling story from early summer, but if they don’t show up in September, then we can’t compare,”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz explained that bears need to show up in September to be included on the bracket.

“I hope it gives people an opportunity to break away from the madness of the world and the rest of the internet.”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz said he hopes Fat Bear Week gives people an opportunity to break away from the madness of the world and the internet.

“It is filled with a lot of joy and fun – we see the bears playing with one another. But they face real risk. They face real hardship. They’re fierce, large predators,”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz said the bears' lives are filled with joy and fun but they also face real risk and hardship.

“Every year, tens of millions of salmon return to this region,”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz noted that tens of millions of salmon return to the Katmai region every year.

“If you are a well-fed brown bear you are more likely to have cubs in the den and you’re also more likely to have a large litter,”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz said a well-fed brown bear is more likely to have cubs and a large litter.

“The engagement on those few Facebook posts that we did was super high, like way higher than anything we had tried at the park previously.”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz recalled that engagement on the early Facebook posts was higher than anything previously tried at the park.

“One of the things that makes the webcam experience really special is that we get to follow the stories of individual bears, so we know them across the season and years,”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz said the webcam experience lets viewers follow the stories of individual bears across seasons and years.

“Without salmon, there would be no Fat Bear Week. They’re amazing creatures in their own right, and they are the keystone of the ecosystem.”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz said salmon are the keystone of the ecosystem and without them there would be no Fat Bear Week.

“showing an increasing dominance of the river over the last several years”

Mike Fitz · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-18

Fitz said Bear 164, nicknamed Bucky, is showing increasing dominance of the river over the last several years.