Scandal! At the (fat bear) ballot box.
The most important election of our lifetimes (until next year), Fat Bear Week 2022, was almost marred by election fraud this week.
Rolling Stone Magazine covered the controversy.
Apparently, someone really did try to overturn the will of the people and spam the Fat Bear Week poll in favor of Holly, Bear 435.
Holly has a beautiful backstory and, frankly, doesn’t deserve this indignity.
In 2014 Holly adopted a lone yearling cub into her family. Holly cared for and raised this bear alongside her biological cub, weaning them both in the spring of 2016 … She was the 2019 Fat Bear Week champion.
Amber Kraft, Interpretation and Education Program Manager for the National Park Service, told Rolling Stone that “the spam attack was apparently made in order to give Holly an unfair win” against Bear 747. Fortunately, however, the invalid votes were easy to spot, and 747 was crowned rightful champion.
I’m sure there’s a lesson in here somewhere about the efficiency of the American voting system and the pointlessness of trying to cheat. Even more importantly, I know there’s a lesson in here about getting ready to hibernate.
I have a longer WanderFinder all written, but haven’t quite had the energy or time to post it yet. It might have to wait for the weekend.
Bear election fraud stories though — that couldn’t wait.
Feel free to tip me off on other nefarious animal election stories below, and I hope you’re having a wanderful week.
I'm glad that this was easily sorted and trust in the system restored. I'm too tired to make bear puns
I would urge [if not already done] to state home location of Fat Bear nominees. After all, those in Pacific NW start with a major advantage in the number of salmon runs they can feed [and pose] at.
Dick Frankel