Hiker Killed by Bear at Glacier National Park, Officials Say
A person climbing in Glacier National Park in Montana this week was killed by a bear within the first such fatality in that wilderness space in additional than 25 years, the authorities stated.
The hiker, Anthony Pollio, 33, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was final heard from on Sunday night. His disappearance was reported on Monday, the National Park Service said.
Mr. Pollio had deliberate to hike to the Mount Brown Fire Lookout, a steep trail close to Lake McDonald.
Rangers looked for Mr. Pollio with assist from an area search-and-rescue staff and aerial assets, the Park Service stated.
On Wednesday, his stays have been discovered roughly 50 ft off the Mount Brown Trail, the Park Service said.
Mr. Pollio’s private belongings have been discovered two and a half miles from the trailhead.
“His injuries are consistent with those sustained by a bear encounter,” the Park Service said on Saturday. Evidence suggests it “was a surprise encounter,” the service stated.
Glacier National Park didn’t return a request for touch upon Saturday afternoon.
Multiple trails, together with the Mount Brown path, remained closed whereas park rangers inspected the realm for bear exercise, the service stated.
Fatal bear encounters are unusual within the park.
Excluding this week’s fatality, 10 people have died in bear assaults for the reason that park was established in 1910. The final individual killed by a bear was Craig Dahl on May 17, 1998, in response to the Park Service.
In August 2025, a 34-year-old girl climbing close to Lake Janet was injured by a “brown-colored bear,” the Park Service stated. In that episode, the bear swiped at the lady, insulting her shoulder and arm.
Another one who was climbing with the lady sprayed bear spray and the bear ran away. The girl who was attacked was hospitalized in secure situation, the authorities stated at the time.
Glacier National Park, which is south of the Canadian border in northwestern Montana, has the next density of grizzly bears than another park within the continental United States, in response to pursuit, a wilderness tour operator.
The park is dwelling to just about 1,000 bears, together with black and grizzly populations, in response to the park’s website.
Mr. Pollio’s deadly bear encounter at Glacier National Park occurred the identical week that two hikers have been injured in a bear assault at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, in response to the Park Service.
On Monday, a 15-year-old boy and 28-year-old man have been climbing the Mystic Falls path close to the Old Faithful geyser once they have been injured, the Park Service he stated.
Park employees members consider {that a} feminine grizzly bear and two or three cubs have been concerned.
The hikers have been airlifted to a hospital, the place one was in essential situation and the opposite in critical situation, The Jackson Hole News and Guidea newspaper in Jackson, Wyo., reported.
Multiple areas of Yellowstone remained closed as of Saturday due to the bear encounter, the Park Service stated.
The final bear-related accidents reported in Yellowstone have been in September 2025, when a person obtained “significant but non-life-threatening” accidents to his chest and left arm, the Park Service stated at the time.
