Hiker Found Dead in Glacier National Park in Apparent Bear Attack
Why It Matters
A fatal bear encounter in Glacier National Park, Montana has prompted trail closures and a multi-agency response, raising renewed concerns about wildlife safety in one of the country’s most visited wilderness areas. If confirmed, the incident would mark the first bear-related fatality in the park in nearly three decades.
What Happened
Anthony Pollio, 33, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was reported missing on Monday after failing to return from a solo hike on the west side of Glacier National Park the day before. His last contact with another person came Sunday evening at approximately 8:20 p.m., when he sent a message indicating he was heading toward the Mt. Brown Fire Lookout.
Park staff later located his vehicle near Lake McDonald Lodge. On Wednesday at noon, searchers recovered Pollio’s remains in a densely wooded area roughly 50 feet off the Mt. Brown Trail. Park officials stated that his injuries were consistent with a bear encounter.
Following the discovery, park rangers closed several trails on the east side of Lake McDonald, including routes to the Mt. Brown Lookout, Snyder Lake Campground, Sperry Chalet, and Lincoln Lake Campground. Rangers are conducting an active assessment of bear activity in the area. Park policy has historically called for the euthanization of bears responsible for attacking humans.
By the Numbers
- 10 — total fatal bear attacks recorded in Glacier National Park since 1967
- ~28 years — time since the last fatal bear encounter in the park, which occurred in May 1998 on the Scenic Point Trail
- ~1,000 — estimated number of bears currently living within Glacier National Park
- 50 feet — distance off the Mt. Brown Trail where Pollio’s remains were found
- 15+ — agencies involved in the search, recovery, and investigation effort
Zoom Out
The Glacier incident is not isolated. Earlier this week, two hikers at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming sustained serious injuries in a separate apparent bear attack on a trail near Old Faithful, underscoring elevated bear activity across the region’s national parks this season.
Glacier’s deadliest chapter in bear attack history remains the night of August 1967, when two separate bears killed two different women in two different locations within the park on the same night — a double fatality that drew national attention and led to lasting changes in park wildlife management practices.
Wildlife incidents in Montana’s federal lands have drawn increased scrutiny in recent years. A 2025 workplace fatality at the Stillwater Mine similarly highlighted safety and incident-response protocols in the state’s extractive and outdoor industries.
Search and Recovery Effort
Wednesday’s recovery operation drew resources from more than a dozen agencies, including Flathead County Search and Rescue, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, the Montana Army National Guard, the Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Border Patrol, Malmstrom Air Force Base personnel, and National Park Service staff, among others.
What’s Next
Park officials are continuing their assessment to determine whether a specific bear can be identified as responsible for the attack. If the fatality is formally confirmed as a bear attack, standard protocol would call for locating and euthanizing the animal involved.
The affected trail corridor will remain closed until rangers complete their evaluation. Glacier Park officials continue to advise all visitors to carry bear spray, hike in groups when possible, and make noise on the trail to avoid surprising wildlife. With an estimated bear population of nearly 1,000 animals, encounters — though rare — remain a recognized risk throughout the park’s backcountry.
For broader context on Montana’s relationship with its public lands and conservation legacy, see our look at Ted Turner’s conservation footprint in the state.