Katmai National Park‘s Fat Bear Week has gained popularity around the world, with thousands of people voting for their favorite bear every year. The event allows the national park to share how bears gain weight throughout the summer in preparation for the winter, celebrating the largest and most successful of bears in the process.
A new fat animal competition is starting to spread in popularity, this time out of a Colorado University, and much like the bears, these animals engage in a feast to prepare for the winter. “Fat Squirrel Week”, based out of Colorado State University (CSU), was created by The Squirrels of CSU Instagram page.
There are two general types of squirrels, tree squirrels and ground squirrels. Fox squirrels, one of the most common spotted around CSU, are tree squirrels. They’re often recognized by their bushy tails and their tendency to build nests high in trees. They also follow different diets than ground squirrels, often leading to them being the larger of the two.
Much like bears, tree squirrels begin to eat more as the winter approaches, leading to an increase in fat squirrels come the fall. Fox squirrels don’t hibernate, but they do slow down in the winter. Of course while they do increase their feeding in the fall, it’s incredibly important that you, nor anyone, never feed squirrels, as it can have serious consequences for both the animals and humans.
Fat Squirrel Week asks participants to vote through the Squirrels of CSU Instagram stories. Voting began on October 1st and concludes today, October 6th. The overall winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 7th.
