Karmactive Staff
A grizzly bear killed a Florida man hiking alone at Glacier National Park on the night of May 3, 2026, in what became the park’s first fatal bear attack in 28 years.
Anthony Pollio, 33, of Davie, Florida, was hiking the Mount Brown Lookout Trail on the park’s west side. He was midway through a cross-country road trip. When he did not return to camp, he was reported missing on May 4. Park rangers launched a search using helicopters and infrared equipment over the following days.
On May 6, searchers found an empty GrizGuard bear spray canister in the brush beside the trail. Farther in, approximately 2.5 miles from the trailhead and 69 feet down a steep, wooded slope, they found Pollio’s remains.
What the Investigation Found
A board of review reconstructed the encounter using physical evidence: claw marks on a burned tree, a displaced stone, and the location of the spray canister. The evidence indicates the attack most likely occurred between approximately 11:15 p.m. and midnight. Pollio was hiking in near-darkness.
Investigators believe neither Pollio nor the bear detected each other until they were very close. The bear moved rapidly from behind fallen trees toward the trail. Pollio discharged the entire bear spray canister during the initial assault. Whether the spray reached the bear could not be confirmed. After the attack, Pollio tumbled down the slope.
The board of review report was nearly complete as of July 16, 2026.
This was the tenth fatal bear encounter in Glacier National Park since 1967. The previous fatal attack occurred in 1998. Less than a month after Pollio’s death, a second bear attack — non-fatal — occurred in the park.
Bear Spray Works — When You Can Use It
Grizzly bears are protected under federal law and are an established presence throughout the northern Rockies. Studies consistently show bear spray reduces injury during encounters more effectively than firearms in many situations — but it has to reach the bear to work, and it requires time to deploy.
That is why timing and awareness matter. As wildlife safety experts have repeatedly emphasized, surprises are the most dangerous scenario in bear country.
Basic precautions that reduce risk:
- Hike during daylight hours, especially on forested, low-visibility trails
- Make consistent noise — talk, clap, call out — to avoid startling bears
- Carry bear spray in an accessible holster, not buried in a pack
- Hike in groups when possible
- Check trail conditions and recent wildlife activity reports at the trailhead
Bear encounters are uncommon, but the risk is real, particularly in dense terrain and low light. Evidence suggests Pollio had his bear spray and attempted to use it. The encounter, by all indications, happened too fast and too close to allow the spray to work as intended.
Glacier National Park remained open following the attack. Park officials reminded visitors to carry bear spray, make noise on the trail, and avoid hiking alone after dark.
