An appreciation of Holly, the fat bear mom who adopted and raised an abandoned cub

Welcome to Fat Bear Week at Mashable! Each fall, Katmai National Park holds a competition as Alaska’s brown bears finish fattening up for their long winter hibernation. This year, Mashable is getting in on the salmon-munching action. Check back with us all week as we follow the fat bear face-offs each day, and remember to get your votes in for each round. Happy fishing!

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In July 2014, a stranded bear cub spent the night clinging to the upper reaches of a spruce tree along the banks of the Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. 

After spending at least 24 hours curled up amid the branches, the young, largely helpless bear likely succumbed to thirst and hunger, and crawled down. Read more…

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