The bracket for 2024’s Fat Bear Week contest was revealed Tuesday night, but only after a deadly bear-on-bear attack at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve on Monday delayed the unveiling.
In what’s become a bona fide fall ritual, public voting in the annual is scheduled to start at noon ET Wednesday. The popular contest is observing its 10th anniversary this year – but comes with a stark reminder that the harsh laws of nature are always in play in the southern Alaskan wilderness at Katmai.
Members of the public will get to weigh in on their favourite bear contestants online, and voting will continue through October 8. A winner is slated to be announced that evening as well.
Katmai said on its website that almost 1.4 million votes were cast for the bears from more than 100 countries in , which was won by a defensive mama bear named 128 Grazer.
Anyone who has ever joined a March Madness betting pool for the NCAA basketball tournament will be familiar with the contest’s brackets-style competition.
In this single-elimination format, the bears vie for votes daily in head-to-head matchups. The bear collecting the most online votes advances to the next round.
Ready to vote for your favorite fattened bear? Cast your vote at .
A preliminary contest for Fat Bear Junior has already been held, with Bear 909 Jr. taking the top spot.
In this screenshot from a live-streamed video, two bears in Katmai National Park fight on October 1. (Explore Bears and Bison / NPS via CNN Newsource)
Every year, bears gather at Katmai’s Brooks Falls and downstream on Brooks River to gorge on salmon and fatten up before their long and arduous winter hibernation. The public can watch the fishing expeditions on live cams at , and it can make for fascinating viewing.
But people watching Monday might have gotten more than they bargained for when Bear No. 469, a male, approached, attacked and eventually killed Bear No. 402, a female that was almost as large, in the Brooks River.
That attack delayed the posting of the brackets by a day while park and contest officials regrouped.
The National Park Service and Explore.Org have posted an edited version of the footage along with commentary .
In the video commentary, the experts were not sure what caused the attack but said it was unusual. No. 402 is seen trying to get away from the predatory male bear but was unable to do so. The experts said they think she died by being drowned.
“We love the bears, but again it’s a clear reminder of how big and strong and powerful these animals actually are,†said Mike Fitz, the resident naturalist with Explore.org, in the commentary. “402 is a beloved bear by each and every one of us, and I honestly, you know, I think we’re all in a little bit of a loss of words. … This is really difficult to see.â€
There have also been some problematic human-bear interaction issues along the Brooks River in recent weeks.
Katmai National Park employees witnessed four incidents between September 18 to 29 in which bears received fish from anglers, according to a separate NPS news release.
That has resulted in the Brooks River corridor being closed to all anglers except subsistence users below Brooks Falls until October 31, unless the park superintendent rescinds the order earlier.
Bears that receive food from people can lose their fear of humans, resulting in a potentially dangerous situation for both, NPS said.
Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz are going face to face tonight for the first and only planned vice-presidential debate of this U.S. election cycle. Watch the debate live on CTVNews.ca along with real-time commentary and analysis from journalists and experts.
Israel's ambassador to Canada says the international community needs to send a 'concise, concentrated, focused message to the Iranian regime,' following attacks on Israel Tuesday.
Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday, the latest in a series of escalating attacks in a yearslong conflict between Israel and Iran and its Arab allies that threatens to push the Middle East closer toward a regionwide war.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office says her recent comment about chemtrails doesn't mean she believes the United States government is spraying them in the province.
A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.
The president of e-commerce giant Shopify Inc. wants Canada to address a problem he calls "the 600-pound beaver in the room."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government survived another Conservative-led non-confidence vote on Tuesday, the second in less than a week. This, the same day the Bloc Quebecois had an opportunity to table a non-confidence motion of its own, opting instead to push the Liberals to support one of its key demands.
A 13-year-old girl has been charged with allegedly murdering her s-year-old sister in Taylor over the weekend.
A small bush on a ledge appears to have "miraculously" saved the life of a climber who fell down the steep slope of a mountain, according to B.C. search and rescue crews.
The leader of the B.C. Conservative party is once again under fire for comments related to climate change – this time for suggesting there is an "anti-human agenda" behind the push to confront warming global temperatures.
A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.
A British Columbia lawyer has resigned from the provincial law society after he sexually harassed staff at his law firm, including attempts to surreptitiously photograph one employee without her knowledge, according to the regulator.
Calgary five most expensive homes for sale as of Oct. 1, 2024.
Kingston, Ont. police say several people have been arrested and charged following a break-in at a home in the city's east end last week.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office says her recent comment about chemtrails doesn't mean she believes the United States government is spraying them in the province.
Tim Walz and JD Vance will meet for their first and possibly only vice-presidential debate Tuesday, in what could be the last debate for both campaigns to argue their case before the U.S. election.
An 81-year-old Montana man was sentenced Monday to six months in federal prison for illegally using tissue and testicles from large sheep hunted in Central Asia and the U.S. to create hybrid sheep for captive trophy hunting in Texas and Minnesota.
Amazon announced Tuesday the removal of a memoir from its site that purports to tell the story of an abusive relationship between the late actor and model Kim Porter and her longtime partner, hip-hop mogul Sean â€Diddy" Combs.
CBS News said Tuesday that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has declined to participate in an interview with “60 Minutes†for its election special, which will go forward next Monday with Democratic opponent Kamala Harris alone.
A 13-year-old girl has been charged with allegedly murdering her s-year-old sister in Taylor over the weekend.
At least six people were killed and nine wounded on Tuesday when two gunmen got off a tram in Tel Aviv and opened fire on passers-by, before themselves being shot dead by security forces and an armed civilian, Israeli police said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government survived another Conservative-led non-confidence vote on Tuesday, the second in less than a week. This, the same day the Bloc Quebecois had an opportunity to table a non-confidence motion of its own, opting instead to push the Liberals to support one of its key demands.
As war spread in the Middle East on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly 'unequivocally' condemned Iran's move to fire dozens of missiles into Israel and called for no further escalation in the war from all sides.
Israel's ambassador to Canada says the international community needs to send a 'concise, concentrated, focused message to the Iranian regime,' following attacks on Israel Tuesday.
A woman with the rare condition of two uteruses delivered twins, one from each womb, last month at a hospital in northwestern China, according to health officials and state media.
This fall and winter, Ontario, Quebec and Nunavut will offer the newer monoclonal antibody nirsevimab — approved by Health Canada in the spring of 2023 — to all babies going through their first RSV season.
The Public Health Agency of Canada says it is not providing Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine this respiratory virus season, citing low demand.
The bracket for 2024's Fat Bear Week contest was revealed Tuesday night, but only after a deadly bear-on-bear attack at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve on Monday delayed the unveiling.
Archeologists in Denmark have unearthed more than 50 'exceptionally well preserved' skeletons in a large Viking-era burial ground in the east of the country.
The two astronauts stuck at the International Space Station since June welcomed their new ride home with Sunday's arrival of a SpaceX capsule.
An attorney said Tuesday he is representing 120 accusers who have come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Sean “Diddy†Combs, the hip-hop mogul who is awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Frank Fritz, who appeared on the History Channel antiques collector show 'American Pickers,' has died, according to his co-presenter and 'American Pickers' creator Mike Wolfe. Fritz was 60.
John Amos, who starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom 'Good Times' and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 84.
The president of e-commerce giant Shopify Inc. wants Canada to address a problem he calls "the 600-pound beaver in the room."
Restaurant company SIR Corp. is investigating a cybersecurity incident that has impacted part of its information technology infrastructure.
The 45,000 dockworkers who went on strike Tuesday for the first time in decades at 36 U.S. ports from Maine to Texas may wield the upper hand in their standoff with port operators over wages and the use of automation.
Baby hippo, Moo Deng, has become a viral sensation, with her adorable photos and videos flooding social media and even earning a skit on Saturday Night Live.
A code of conduct will be enforced on the online dating industry to better protect Australian users after research found that three-in-four people suffer some form of sexual violence through the platforms, Australia’s government said on Tuesday.
If you find it odd that Kate McKinnon chose her first book to be for middle-grade kids, the former “Saturday Night Live†star says, think again.
It was an exciting weekend for hockey fans in Sudbury, as the city hosted an NHL preseason game.
Ryan Hunter's athleticism has been on full display since his arrival in the CFL, but the Canadian's versatility is now shining through.
Toronto Raptors team president Masai Ujiri tried to lay to rest rumours that he has friction with Edward Rogers, the executive chair of Rogers Communications, Inc.
General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle division will pay a US$1.5 million penalty after the unit failed to fully report a crash involving a pedestrian, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
A U.S. driver somehow squeezed her vehicle through a parkade hallway at a Metro Vancouver casino Thursday, before getting stuck at an elevator bank.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
On Saturday night at her parents’ home in Delaware, Ont. the Olympic bronze medallist in pole vault welcomed everyone who played a role in getting her to the podium in Paris.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.
A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.
Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.
Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.
A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.
An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The goat found wandering around East Vancouver Friday night is headed home, police say.
The leader of the B.C. Conservative party is once again under fire for comments related to climate change – this time for suggesting there is an "anti-human agenda" behind the push to confront warming global temperatures.
Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz are going face to face tonight for the first and only planned vice-presidential debate of this U.S. election cycle. Watch the debate live on CTVNews.ca along with real-time commentary and analysis from journalists and experts.
A 33-year-old man has been arrested after two females were found dead inside a home in Courtice, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Food insecurity in Mississauga has reached an unprecedented and unwanted milestone.
One person is dead and two others are in hospital after a break-in at a Mississauga home early Tuesday morning ended in gunfire, Peel police say.
Calgary police say they're investigating the attack of a prominent local radio host over the weekend.
With the calendar flipped to October, some workers in Canada will be getting a raise. The minimum wage in several provinces increased on Tuesday – leaving Alberta tied with Saskatchewan with the lowest rate.
A man has been charged with sexual assault following an incident involving a seven-year-old girl in Calgary's Fish Creek Park in August.
Last summer, Garfield Park celebrated its opening as a fully fenced-in off-leash dog park, but a year later it turns out it was all a big mistake.
Kingston, Ont. police say several people have been arrested and charged following a break-in at a home in the city's east end last week.
Community members are searching for Nacho the kitten, who was allegedly stolen from an Orléans pet store last week.
Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz are going face to face tonight for the first and only planned vice-presidential debate of this U.S. election cycle. Watch the debate live on CTVNews.ca along with real-time commentary and analysis from journalists and experts.
Montreal police (SPVM) say they have arrested a man in connection with an alleged bank robbery in the borough of Saint-Leonard that occurred on Sept. 28.
Quebec's language will have unexpected consequences on music retailers as they brace for major changes in the new year.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office says her recent comment about chemtrails doesn't mean she believes the United States government is spraying them in the province.
"The Fair Compensation Project will include advocacy on several ways that the City of Edmonton is not being fairly compensated for the services we provide," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday.
Alberta's premier shared new details Tuesday about her government's proposed gender legislation.
The Nova Scotia RCMP is continuing its search for a missing woman after finding her vehicle in Pictou County last week.
A Progressive Conservative candidate in New Brunswick’s upcoming election is under fire Tuesday morning for a Facebook post she made on Truth and Reconciliation Day.
A familiar face for Maritimers and those who watch the Canadian series "Trailer Park Boys" is combining his love of art and cats.
The Winnipeg Police Service is looking for a new helicopter to replace the current aircraft, which has been in service for 15 years.
A 44-year-old woman has died after a two-vehicle crash on a Manitoba highway Tuesday morning.
Manitoba Hydro reported a $157 million consolidated net loss according to the company's 2023-24 fiscal update.
Over the weekend, the Saskatchewan Roughriders wore their Indigenous-themed logo for the first time at Mosaic Stadium.
Saskatchewan residents will vote for their next provincial government on Oct. 28.
Sentencing in relation to a fatal incident in 2020 that left two experienced SaskPower workers dead has been adjourned until Oct. 18, according to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).
A Guelph man charged with the hit-and-run death of a well-known community advocate and has now been charged in a separate collision.
The second Ontario Civilian Police Commission hearing for Guelph Police Services Constable Corey McArthur continued in Guelph on Tuesday.
Kitchener city council is joining the fight to keep safe drug consumption sites open.
An Ahtahkakoop man who came to prominence in Saskatchewan’s Indigenous business community and helped thousands of First Nations people complete their education died on Friday.
Saskatchewan residents will vote for their next provincial government on Oct. 28.
Exclusive polling data collected by Â鶹´«Ã½ in partnership with Insightrix outlines what preferences voters have, if they’re familiar with the party leaders and what issues matter most as Saskatchewan enters into the 2024 provincial election campaign.
Two 17-year-olds have been charged in Elliot Lake with breaking into Centennial Arena and causing $50,000 in damage.
A West Nipissing family whose son died minutes after he was born is raising money to buy comfort care equipment for families grieving the loss of a newborn child.
As the investigation continues into the fatal northern Ontario house fire that killed four people on the evening of Sept. 19, police have released some details about the victims.
Erin Fredin needs a liver transplant and is now appealing to the public. By sharing her story, she hopes to find a living donor.
Emotional victim impact statements were read into court Tuesday at the sentencing of a couple convicted of tying up, beating, and sexually assaulting their children during their upbringing.
Co-existing at the epicentre of London’s homelessness crisis has at times strained the relationship between the Old East Village’s (OEV’s) business community and agencies that provide frontline services.
Tributes have started pouring in for a Midland, Ont. man who died after reportedly being struck by an unmarked provincial police vehicle over the weekend.
Provincial police handed a 22-year-old driver accused of being impaired a lengthy licence suspension after conducting a traffic stop along Highway 400 over the weekend.
Moffatt's Mazda in Barrie has been implementing a new video service that allows customers to see what their mechanics see, to be as transparent as possible.
A 21-year-old Windsor man is on trial in Superior Court for trying to join a terrorist organization.
New cases of human smuggling along the shores of Canada's southernmost region occur almost daily, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz are going face to face tonight for the first and only planned vice-presidential debate of this U.S. election cycle. Watch the debate live on CTVNews.ca along with real-time commentary and analysis from journalists and experts.
A young man has been charged with first-degree murder after police were called to investigate a suspicious death on Vancouver Island over the weekend.
A British Columbia lawyer has resigned from the provincial law society after he sexually harassed staff at his law firm, including attempts to surreptitiously photograph one employee without her knowledge, according to the regulator.
David Eby promised to expand financial supports and job protections for sick British Columbians if he wins this month's provincial election, throwing barbs at his main opponent in the process.
A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.
The officer who shot and killed a forcible confinement suspect in Kamloops two years ago was justified in doing so, according to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.
Fire crews in Vernon, B.C., responded to a large house fire early Saturday morning.
From offering two meals a week to three a day, the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen has grown immensely over the past 40 years.
The sentencing for three men convicted of helping lead and coordinate the COVID-19 protest blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 has been delayed.
A 10-year-old boy from Lethbridge is being praised as a hero after a routine summer outing at the pool nearly turned tragic for his friend.
A 40-year-old in Sault Ste. Marie who was on probation has been charged with assault with a weapon following an incident in August.
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard took the stand in his sexual assault trial on Tuesday, denying that he raped his accuser and painting a dramatically different picture of their encounter eight years ago.
Overnight on Thursday as the community of Elliot Lake was resting to prepare for the upcoming Kraft Hockeyville celebrations, when vandals struck a building that has been top of mind for the northern Ontario city for more than a year.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
