Bears | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/bears/RSS feed for BearsenThu, 01 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000Meet This Year's Chonky Champion of Fat Bear Week: Backpack, a Laid-Back 20-Year-Old Male Who's a 'Stoic Presence on the River'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-this-years-chonky-champion-of-fat-bear-week-backpack-a-laid-back-20-year-old-male-whos-a-stoic-presence-on-the-river-180989595/The brown bear, who now weighs between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds after fattening up on salmon, earned his nickname as a cub. When he was little, he enjoyed riding on his mom's back as she swam across a riverThu, 01 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-this-years-chonky-champion-of-fat-bear-week-backpack-a-laid-back-20-year-old-male-whos-a-stoic-presence-on-the-river-180989595/See 16 Stunning Animal Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awardshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-16-stunning-animal-images-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180989397/Now in its 62nd year, the famed competition has released a sneak peek of the entries from this contest ahead of announcing the winners in OctoberWed, 26 Aug 2026 18:28:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-16-stunning-animal-images-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180989397/