【】
A looming government shutdown would suspend the internet's annual celebration of the fat bears.
The shutdown, which is set to happen at 12:01 a.m. ET on Oct. 1 unless Congress funds the government, will close all the national parks, including Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve, which annually hosts the Fat Bear Week contest. During the event, the public votes in a playoff-like, single-elimination tournament for the fattest bear. It's a recognition of these bears succeeding in the harsh wilderness, often triumphantly, and ensuring good odds for their winter survival.
"Hopefully a lapse doesn’t occur. However, should a lapse happen, we will need to postpone Fat Bear Week," Cynthia Hernandez, a spokesperson for Katmai National Park and Preserve, told Mashable.
In 2023, Katmai planned Fat Bear Week to occur between Oct. 4 through Oct. 10. (A pre-competition to choose the fattest cub, "Fat Bear Week Junior," is still currently happening.)
SEE ALSO:Park rangers saw something unprecedented in this year's fat bearsHow long a Fat Bear Week postponement might occur is unknown. That depends on how long the government goes without funding. Most shutdowns last a day or two, but over December 2018 through early 2019 a shutdown lasted over a month.
Katmai runs Fat Bear Week in collaboration with the wildlife livestreaming organization explore.org. Explore.org hosts the online voting website and its naturalists provide invaluable information about the bears, but the greater event requires support and communication from Katmai's rangers.
Tweet may have been deleted
The adverse effects of a shutdown, of course, would go far beyond the Fat Bear Week competition. Park Service staff wouldn't work. Private jobs and companies that support parks would lose money. "At NPS sites across the country, gates will be locked, visitor centers will be closed, and thousands of park rangers will be furloughed," the Department of Interior said. "Accordingly, the public will be encouraged not to visit sites during the period of lapse in appropriations out of consideration for protection of natural and cultural resources, as well as visitor safety."
Related Stories
- This fat bear's transformation is absolutely stunning
- How many fish do the fat bears eat?
- Cannibalism, infanticide: The dark side of Alaska’s bear cam
- The Fat Bear Week winner is the champion we all needed
- The female fat bear that's as dominant as the big, bad male bears
Want more scienceand tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Light Speed newslettertoday.
"Let's celebrate that survivor."
If Fat Bear Week is indeed delayed, rest assured, the bears are still extremely fat. An aging bear, Otis, arrived extremely gaunt at Katmai's Brooks River this summer, where the bears feast on salmon. His ribcage and hipbones were even showing. But Otis, also numbered bear 480, persevered, at times eating 100 pounds of fish over a day and a half. He's now filled-out, and ready to outlast the long Alaskan winter.
"Let's celebrate that survivor," Naomi Boak, Katmai National Park and Preserve's media ranger, told Mashable earlier this week.
TopicsAnimals
相关文章
Two states took big steps this week to get rid of the tampon tax
This week was a big one for those advocating against a tampon tax.。 First, on Thursday, California t2024-11-21- 高興的太早 !國安又犯小學生級別失誤 防守問題無解_比賽_大連人_張稀哲www.ty42.com 日期:2022-09-25 22:30:00| 評論(已有350753條評論)2024-11-21
- 津媒:中超競爭格局出現微妙變化 ,一些球隊人員調整後實力提升_對手_比賽_主動www.ty42.com 日期:2022-09-27 11:01:00| 評論(已有351046條評論)2024-11-21
- C羅終結7場球荒+首發全敗 狀態回暖?還差得遠嘞!_比賽_進球_曼聯www.ty42.com 日期:2022-09-25 22:30:00| 評論(已有350760條評論)2024-11-21
Samsung Galaxy Note7 teardown reveals the magic behind the phone's iris scanner
Samsung's Galaxy Note7 is touted by many reviewers as one of the best, if not the best, smartphones2024-11-21- 中超第17輪精彩瞬間 :滄州神鋒大四喜赤膊怒吼-搜狐大視野-搜狐新聞www.ty42.com 日期:2022-09-26 18:01:00| 評論(已有351008條評論)2024-11-21
最新评论