National Parks Service shuts down viral social media rumor | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

While many of the country’s 63 national parks have a vast array of wildlife, Yellowstone is especially renowned for its population of large and in some cases rare animals. The 2.2 million acres spanning the national park are home to thousands of elk, moose, grizzly bears, and bison.

The latter is the modern descendant of the buffalo that once roamed the North American plains before being driven to extinction. In 2024, Yellowstone was home to over 5,400 bison, while nearly five million visitors came to the park to see them in their natural habitat.

Don’t miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet’s free daily newsletter

‘The buffalo bison began a mass exodus out of Yellowstone’

In the last week, a number of TikTok and Instagram users posted videos showing bison, bears, and other animals walking in a herd in one direction — and, in turn, claiming that they are leaving the park.

“This morning, the buffalo bison began a mass exodus out of Yellowstone,” Scott Whitehead, a local influencer who describes himself as an animal expert, wrote underneath his July 14 video. “No one knows why — but nature does.”

The term “buffalo bison” alone is incorrect, since it refers to two different species, of which one is extinct. Whitehead has similar videos, some of which have received over 30,000 upvotes, claiming that grizzly bears and elk are also leaving Yellowstone. Other influencers have posted similar videos on their channels.

As these posts went increasingly viral, the National Parks Service (NPS) issued a statement saying the videos are AI-generated and “satirical in nature” but not presented as such by many of the people posting them.

Bison are seen at Yellowstone National Park.

Image source&colon; Shutterstock

NPS responds, says wildlife is ‘not leaving Yellowstone National Park’

“Wildlife is not leaving Yellowstone National Park in large numbers,” NPS spokesperson Linda Veress said in a statement. “This rumor is false.”

More on national parks:

Wildlife do have periods of migration during which they move in search of food, but this characteristically occurs from November to March — any movement is also never far enough to leave the confines of the park. The videos, as a result, are pure AI that deceives viewers into the dramatic claim that animals are walking out of the park in large numbers like in a fantasy movie.

“They’re free to come and go, and there’s a migratory path for elk and bison and deer,” Tom Murphy, a wildlife photographer who does his work at Yellowstone, told ABC News. “There’s no reason for them to be leaving right now.”

The park also regularly issues reminders to practice wildlife safety during migratory periods in particular, as every year there are incidents in which visitors get gored after either accidentally or purposefully getting too close to one. In May 2025, a 47-year-old man from Florida sustained minor injuries after getting within a foot of one at Yellowstone’s Lake Village. The official recommendation is to keep a distance of 25 yards or 23 meters at all times.

“Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal,” the NPS has on its Yellowstone safety webpage. “Bison are not aggressive animals but will defend their space when threatened. They are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.”