Catching Up with Carl Ramm and Getting Ready for Fat Bear Week

Artist, naturalist, and longtime bear manager Carl Ramm returns to News from the Peak for a special Fat Bear Week episode.

When Carl last joined us, he was closing an extraordinary chapter after years of working in Alaska and what was likely his final season working at Brooks Camp in Katmai National Park and Preserve. In this follow-up conversation, we catch up with Carl to hear what retirement has looked like, how he continues to stay connected to nature and what he misses most about life at Brooks Camp. He also gives us a funny story about an invasive species he’s had to wrangle in retirement.

Of course, we also talk bears! Carl shares his perspective on this year’s activity at Brooks River, the bears he is watching and some bears to watch for the 2026 Fat Bear Week bracket. Along the way, he offers insight into bear behavior, survival, and even some Malthusian math! Fat Bear Week is more than a lighthearted competition. It celebrates the remarkable transformation these brown bears undergo as they prepare for winter and invites people around the world to learn more about Katmai’s bears and the wild ecosystem that sustains them. The key Carl thinks to conservation is making it fun and highlighting the individual stories which is why Fat Bear Week is so great!

YOU CAN FIND THE PODCAST ON:

SPOTIFY (AND SPOTIFY FOR PODCASTERS), APPLE PODCASTS, GOOGLE PODCASTS, AND IHEART RADIO

The 2026 bracket was revealed on September 18, and Fat Bear Week voting will take place September 22–29. Voting is free and open daily from 12:00–9:00 p.m. Eastern Time at FatBearWeek.org.

Review the day’s matchup, compare each bear’s transformation and story, select your favorite, and submit your vote.

Listen to the episode, follow Carl’s stories and artwork on his Bear in Camp! blog, and then join us in choosing the 2026 Fat Bear Week champion! Listen where you can get your podcast!