Investigators said Anthony Pollio encountered the bear after dark and fell nearly 100 feet during the struggle.
WEST GLACIER, Mont. — A Florida hiker killed by a grizzly bear in Glacier National Park fell nearly 100 feet down a steep mountainside during the attack and tried to move back uphill before the bear returned, according to a newly released interagency investigation.
Anthony Pollio, 33, of Davie, Florida, died May 3 on the Mount Brown Lookout Trail. The July 20 review concluded that Pollio likely surprised an adult male grizzly at close range while descending alone in darkness. Investigators classified the encounter as defensive rather than predatory and recommended no action against the bear.
Pollio, who was identified in published reports as a Catholic deacon, entered the park on the afternoon of May 3 while taking a road trip across the United States. He drove to Lake McDonald Lodge and began the 5.1-mile climb toward the Mount Brown fire lookout at about 6:30 p.m., the report said.
He remained in contact with relatives and friends during the hike. His final known message was sent at about 8:20 p.m., when he said he was still climbing. Investigators said snow and fallen trees may have slowed his progress or caused him to turn around before reaching the lookout. Darkness had fallen by the time he began descending.
Evidence indicated that Pollio and the bear encountered each other where thick vegetation and fallen trees limited visibility. Investigators found claw marks, disturbed soil and Pollio’s belongings scattered along the slope. A can of bear spray had been fully discharged, though authorities could not determine whether the spray reached the bear.
The review concluded that Pollio fell or was thrown about 93 feet downslope during the initial encounter. Evidence suggested that he later moved approximately 18 feet back uphill before the bear attacked again. His body was ultimately found 69 feet below the trail among fallen trees. The report did not include unnecessary graphic details about his injuries.
Pollio was reported overdue on May 4 after he failed to return. Park rangers, Flathead County Search and Rescue crews and aerial teams searched the Mount Brown and Snyder areas. Searchers found some of his belongings about 2.5 miles from the trailhead, allowing them to narrow the search area.
A team located his body shortly after noon May 6. Investigators collected hair and scat samples, which DNA testing linked with high confidence to a male grizzly that had been documented in the park for years. Officials said the bear had no known history of aggression toward people or other reported conflicts.
The investigative board included personnel from Glacier National Park, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Wyoming Game and Fish and the Flathead County coroner’s office. The board said the bear left the area after the attack and showed no evidence of feeding on or attempting to conceal Pollio’s body.
The death was Glacier National Park’s first fatal bear attack since 1998, according to local reporting. Officials said the conditions surrounding the encounter — a solo hiker traveling after dark through steep terrain with poor visibility — increased the chance of unexpectedly meeting a bear at close range.
The review closed the investigation by finding that the grizzly acted defensively during a surprise encounter. Park officials have not announced plans to capture, relocate or kill the animal.
Author note: Last updated July 27, 2026.