Yellowstone volcano: Could fleeing animals predicate eruption?

Animals appearing to flee Yellowstone has some worried, but scientists say supervolcano not likely to erupt for another million years.

By Danielle Haynes | April 3, 2014

The northeastern part of the Yellowstone Caldera, with the Yellowstone River flowing through Hayden Valley and the caldera rim in the distance. A caldera is a bowl-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption. (Credit: National Park Service.)

April 3 (UPI) -- A large supervolcano lies within Yellowstone National Park and between a 4.8-magnitude earthquake last weekend and recent reports of animals fleeing the region, some people are worried there may be a pending eruption.

U.S. Geological Survey experts said Sunday's temblor -- the largest in decades -- doesn't necessarily mean a volcanic eruption is imminent.

There may be no way to accurately predict when the supervolcano may erupt, but some worry recent reports of animals fleeing the national park could be an indicator.

One person posted a photo of a herd of buffalo running away from the park on a road.

Ilya Bindeman, an associate professor of geological sciences at the University of Oregon said it's not likely the supervolcano, also called the Yellowstone caldera, will erupt in our lifetime.

“Yellowstone is one of the biggest supervolcanos in the world,” he said. “Sometimes it erupts quietly with lava flow, but once or twice every million years, it erupts very violently, forming large calderas."

He said the volcano isn't likely to erupt for another 1 million years.

[Epoch Times]

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2014/04/03/Yellowstone-volcano-Could-fleeing-animals-predicate-eruption/6431396523604/?spt=mps&or=5
--