Glacier Park's first fatal bear attack since 1998
The body of Anthony Pollio, a 33-year-old hiker from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was found Wednesday in Montana's Glacier National Park with injuries consistent with a bear encounter, marking the first fatal bear attack in the park since 1998, according to the National Park Service.
Search and rescue teams located the body around noon, approximately 2.5 miles up the Mt. Brown Trail and 50 feet off the path in a densely wooded area cluttered with downed timber. Pollio had been reported missing Monday after his last known communication, sent around 8:20 p.m. Sunday, indicated plans to hike toward the Mt. Brown Fire Lookout. His vehicle was found at Lake McDonald Lodge.
"His injuries are consistent with those sustained by a bear encounter," the National Park Service said in a statement Thursday. "Wildlife and law enforcement personnel are currently assessing the area for bear activity and any ongoing public safety concerns." Officials have withheld formal confirmation of the identity pending next-of-kin notifications, but the circumstances align with the search for Pollio.
In response, the park temporarily closed the section of Mt. Brown Trail where the body was discovered, along with...