National Park Service Shuts Down Rumor That Possible Yellowstone Supervolcano Eruption Is Causing Animals To Flee

A National Park Service (NPS) representative has debunked videos circulating online that falsely claim animals are fleeing Yellowstone ahead of an impending supervolcano eruption. On TikTok and Instagram, videos have depicted bears, buffalo, mountain lions, and elk moving individually or in groups allegedly away from the park. Many of the videos appear to originate from Scott Whitehead (nunchakusdragon), a self-proclaimed “animal expert” with over 360,000 Instagram followers.

This month, he has shared several videos online claiming that various animals are leaving Yellowstone National Park. Separately, a TikTok video compiling multiple different videos had the following text written on it: “Animals begin to leave Yellowstone 2025. Exodus in Yellowstone.”

Despite the unsubstantiated claims Whitehead made in his posts, along with their seemingly satirical tone, many commenters latched onto his information. Underneath the clip he made about elk, people even theorized that the animals were fleeing because they sensed a forthcoming “explosion” or volcanic eruption.

One person commented, “They [the animals] can feel underneath the ground and they sense an explosion…” Meanwhile, another wrote, “They sense something coming. Duh… Why aren’t we paying attention?”

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A post shared by Scott Whitehead (@nunchakusdragon)

Google Trends notes that the searches “Yellowstone park animals leaving” and “are the animals leaving Yellowstone” are rising. However, NPS spokesperson Linda Veress denied the claims of a viral rumor that an animal “exodus” was occurring at Yellowstone National Park. In a July 21 statement made to USA TODAY, she said, “Wildlife is not leaving Yellowstone National Park in large numbers.”

“This rumor is false, and we believe the video that is circulating on social media is satirical in nature and uses AI-generated footage,” she added.

What Else Is There To Know About The Animals In Yellowstone National Park?

Yellowstone National Park is primarily located in Wyoming, although it also spans portions of Montana and Idaho. According to the NPS, the site is a vibrant ecosystem that many animals call home. Within the park, there are nearly 300 species of birds, 16 species of fish, five species of amphibians, six species of reptiles, and 67 species of mammals.

If you didn’t know, Yellowstone National Park is situated on an active supervolcano that has had three “super eruptions” within the past 2 million years. The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) monitors the volcanic and seismic activity in the area. In her statement, Veress emphasized information already available on the NPS’ website regarding safety and the potential for another eruption.

“These monitors would detect sudden or strong earthquake activity, ground shifts, and volcanic gases that would indicate increasing activity,” Veress explained, adding, “No such evidence exists at this time.”

Moreover, Veress noted that another eruption at Yellowstone National Park is “theoretically possible” but “very unlikely in the next thousand or even 10,000 years.”

The NPS has a designated page about the Yellowstone volcano. It also states that an eruption in our lifetime, or even within the next 10,000 years, is unlikely. According to the authorities, there’s a highly likely chance your trip to Yellowstone National Park will be eruption-free.

“The most likely activity would be lava flows, such as those that occurred after the last major eruption,” says the source. “A lava flow would ooze slowly over months and years, allowing plenty of time for park managers to evaluate the situation and protect people. No scientific evidence indicates such a lava flow will occur soon.”

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