Following owners, thousands of cows, buffaloes evacuated away from restive Philippine volcano

Philippine authorities are evacuating more than 2,000 cows and water buffaloes away from a restive volcano to minimize potential losses in case of a major eruption. The farm animals are being herded out of rural communities within a 3.7-mile radius of Mayon volcano’s crater to 25 temporary grazing areas. They’re following more than 12,600 villagers who have moved to emergency shelters since last week, when Mayon began spewing superheated gas and heavy ashfall in a sign of a possible major eruption within days or weeks. Officials say thousands more people may still need to be relocated to shelters, usually schools and other public buildings. A key tourist draw for its picturesque conical shape, Mayon is one of the country’s 24 active volcanoes.