TOWNSEND, Tenn. — A unique East Tennessee tradition is returning Wednesday — the Chubby Cubby Chonk Down.
Every year, Appalachian Bear Rescue releases a bracket of different cubs that it cares for, and this year the bracket is "chonky." It has 28 names, coupled with pictures of the nonprofit's different residents. The nonprofit's newest residents, Rags and Scruffy, face literal acorns in their first matchups — giving them a chance to advance before facing real opponents.
The competition is meant to mark the start of the bears' natural denning period. While in the wild at around this time, bears would start feasting on any food they can find in order to build up fat reserves before they start hibernating.
Starting Wednesday, Appalachian Bear Rescue will post matchups between bears on Facebook and Instagram. People will vote on whichever bear they think is the biggest, and that bear will advance to the next bracket and face another chonky competitor.
Bears will not be weighed until their release dates, so all votes will be based off the pictures and videos released by the bear rescue.
By the end, there will be only one "chonkion."
"The more fat reserves that a bear has before entering their den in the winter, the better! - And our cubs aren’t shy!!" the nonprofit said on social media.
To participate, people should head to Appalachian Bear Rescue's Facebook and Instagram pages and cast their votes. The competition was inspired by the National Park Service's Fat Bear Week. The bear rescue also said it expects most, and if not all, bears will be released from its care by the end of the year.
