How big is that bear? He could skip meals for 6 months, Alaska park says

A massive Alaskan bear could hibernate for six months without eating because he’s so big, Katmai National Park and Preserve officials said.

The huge brown bear is the biggest bear at the Brooks River at Katmai, park officials said. Bear 747, as he is called, weighed about 1,400 pounds last year.

A Facebook photo showed Bear 747’s massive size, but he’ll get even bigger before hibernating.

“Right now he is fat enough to dig a den, hibernate and not eat for another six months,” park officials said Thursday on Facebook. “But this giant among brown bears still has two more months of eating to do.”

People on Facebook loved to see the fat bear growing. Some commenters have followed the bear for years. One said 747 was first spotted in 2004 and has won the “Fattest Bear” contest before.

“Right here he’s thinking he’s totally gonna win this year,” one commenter said. “I think he’s sick of feeling robbed.”

Other bear fans said 747’s weight gain is incredibly relatable as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

“Oh, 747, we’re all there with you,” one commenter said. “Pandemic pounds are REAL.”

This story was originally published August 20, 2020 at 2:53 PM with the headline "How big is that bear? He could skip meals for 6 months, Alaska park says."