Public to vote in annual contest organized by Katmai national park to see which bear looks to have put on most pre-hibernation weight

Fat Bear Week, the annual competition to see which Alaskan bears can pack on the most pounds before hibernation season, begins this week, with a combination of fan favorites and newcomers vying for the title of the state’s most rotund bear.

The contest, which has become increasingly popular in recent years, will see 12 bears in the Katmai national park in Alaska face off against each other, in an online vote.

Among the returning bears is 747, a popular two-time winner who is “typically very fat” by the end of the week, according to the Katmai Fat Bear Week guide. 747, a “skilled and efficient angler” who was once estimated to weigh 1,600lbs (636kg), is among the favorites this year.