What is Yellowstone Park's supervolcano, and is it on the verge of erupting? Rumors swirl as fears explode online

Economic Times

6 days ago

Yellowstone National Park wildlife is not migrating away due to a supervolcano threat. Experts and the NPS confirm viral videos are false. Learn the real facts about the Yellowstone volcano, magma levels, and animal behavior backed by new 2025 USGS research.
Yellowstone wildlife migration rumors debunked as false by National Park Service- Rumors claiming that Yellowstone National Park's wildlife is fleeing in large numbers are making waves online — but they're not true. According to the National Park Service (NPS), recent viral videos showing animals like bison, elk, grizzly bears, and mountain lions supposedly migrating en masse out of Yellowstone are misleading and likely generated by artificial intelligence. Spokesperson Linda Veress confirmed to ABC News, 'Wildlife is not leaving Yellowstone National Park in large numbers. This rumor is false.' Here's what's really happening behind these viral claims — and what scientists are watching instead. Yellowstone National Park sits on top of one of the largest and most powerful volcanic systems in the world—a supervolcano known as the Yellowstone Caldera. Spanning about 55 by 72 kilometers, it formed during a massive eruption roughly 640,000 years ago.
This system is powered by a deep magma reservoir that fuels Yellowstone's iconic geysers, hot springs, and bubbling mud pots. And while it sounds scary, scientists have been monitoring it closely for decades. Despite what you might be seeing online, there's no sign that Yellowstone is on the verge of erupting. According to the USGS and Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, the volcano's alert level remains at GREEN (normal). Here's what scientists are seeing right now:
Low seismic activity : Just 60 minor earthquakes were recorded in June 2025—the strongest was only a 2.7 magnitude. That's completely normal for Yellowstone.
: Just 60 minor earthquakes were recorded in June 2025—the strongest was only a 2.7 magnitude. That's completely normal for Yellowstone. No earthquake swarms : Yellowstone often sees earthquake swarms when underground fluids shift. There haven't been any significant swarms lately.
: Yellowstone often sees earthquake swarms when underground fluids shift. There haven't been any significant swarms lately. Stable geyser activity : Steamboat Geyser and others are still doing their thing without any signs of unusual pressure or heat.
: Steamboat Geyser and others are still doing their thing without any signs of unusual pressure or heat. New magma discoveries: Scientists recently mapped out four magma bodies beneath Yellowstone. Only one, located in the northeast part of the park, is currently molten. But even that one has a low melt percentage—nowhere near what's needed for an eruption.
No — wildlife is not migrating out of Yellowstone in any unusual way. The videos circulating on TikTok and Instagram show groups of grizzly bears and long lines of bison supposedly leaving the park. But experts say those clips are either AI-generated or presented out of context. According to Tom Murphy, a wildlife photographer with five decades of experience at Yellowstone, the footage of grizzly bears is 'immediately suspect' because bears do not travel in groups unless there's a major food source, like a bison carcass or salmon stream — which don't exist in that manner in the park. Wildlife biologist Bill Hamilton, who's studied Yellowstone for 20 years, told ABC News that migration patterns do occur, but mostly during winter months when animals like elk and bison leave the snowy park terrain in search of food. Predators like wolves and mountain lions follow, but even then, numbers are limited. 'You're not going to see mountain lions migrating in herds,' Hamilton said. 'That video is nonsense.' One popular online theory is that the animals are fleeing due to an imminent Yellowstone supervolcano eruption — but this is also false. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) currently lists Yellowstone's volcano alert level as 'normal' (Code Green). According to geologist Michael Poland and the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, the park's volcanic system is constantly monitored for any warning signs. Although Yellowstone is known for its powerful geothermal features, the possibility of an eruption happening anytime soon is extremely low. In January 2025, new research from the USGS published in Nature used electrical conductivity imaging to map magma beneath Yellowstone. It found that while there are large pockets of magma — especially under the northeast of the caldera — these pockets are not all connected, making a super-eruption unlikely in the near future. The study showed that 2% to 30% of the rock in these pockets is molten, and that heat is being pumped in by rising basalt magma. Yet this doesn't signal immediate danger. As researcher Bill Hamilton explained, "Even if the volcano did blow, it couldn't all come out in one go." Eventually — yes. But not now. When Yellowstone last erupted around 630,000 years ago during the Lava Creek event, it ejected over 1,000 cubic kilometers of volcanic debris. A future super-eruption would have catastrophic consequences across North America and the globe, including: Ash covering cities like Chicago and San Francisco with up to 3 cm
Complete destruction within 100 km radius
Global temperature drops by as much as 4°C to 10°C
Widespread agricultural collapse due to ash and cooling Still, scientists stress that the next eruption, whenever it happens, is likely centuries or even millennia away. In April 2025, geologists discovered a new hydrothermal feature at Norris Geyser Basin: a 13-foot-wide hole filled with milky blue water near "Tree Island." It likely formed between January and February 2025 through multiple small hydrothermal bursts, not one explosive event.
Jeff Hungerford, a Yellowstone Park geologist, and USGS scientist Michael Poland wrote in the Caldera Chronicles that no seismic signals pointed to a major eruption — which is good news. It indicates small, natural geothermal changes, not a sign of a super-eruption. Spreading misinformation about Yellowstone's wildlife and volcanic activity might seem harmless or entertaining — but it can mislead the public about real geological threats. Wildlife experts and volcanologists alike warn that understanding the natural rhythms of Yellowstone is crucial. 'People start believing what they see in these videos, and that undermines public understanding of how nature really works,' Hamilton said. Despite trending searches and viral AI-generated content, Yellowstone National Park remains stable. Animals like bison and elk move around during seasons, especially winter, but there's no mass exodus. The volcano system is under constant surveillance, and scientists agree: there's no eruption on the horizon. Stay informed by following updates from reliable sources like the USGS, Yellowstone National Park Service, and the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Always question viral videos before accepting them as fact — especially when it comes to something as important as nature's most powerful forces. Q1. Is Yellowstone National Park wildlife really migrating away? No, wildlife is not leaving Yellowstone; experts say videos online are false or AI-generated.
Q2. Is Yellowstone supervolcano about to erupt? No, the volcano alert is at normal and there's no sign of an eruption anytime soon.