Though most sharks would not be able able to handle the absence of salt in water, causing their cells to rupture, a bull shark's kidneys are able to recycle salt and maintain proper salt levels while it is in a freshwater environment. There are also lots of ducks that can be found in the Great Lake area, such as the scaup and the old-squaw duck. This website participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Every time you pay federal taxes, youre contributing to these lands. What follows are a sampling of the answers provided by Tribune reporters. These waves can hit very hard, and surprise attacks can catch people off guard and drag them into the undertow. They are apex predators that dont mature until theyre around 15 or 20 years old. Some of the most popular and well-known fish you can find in the Great Lake include Lake Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Bowfin, Largemouth Bass, and many more. Lake Michigan has unique characteristics that set it apart from other bodies of water. What lakes in north Texas have alligators? Color image is from April Fools joke in Montana. That compares to 47 shark attack bites in 2021, 36 shark attack bites in 2020 and 50 shark attack bites in 2019. Whether or not a bull shark, or any shark for that matter, has made its way into Lake Michigan, for now, well just have to believe that it is a popular conspiracy theory or myth of the Great Lake. (2021) Bull Sharks DOCUMENTED in Great Lakes?! So, yes, bull sharks can swim into freshwater and we think they can stay there for several years possibly.[1]. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. Bull Sharks can and do survive in freshwater for quite a while, and reports have shown them to be several miles upriver from their normal habitat. Did a shark attack occur in Lake Michigan? Here's what Tribune It is also known as a Ganges River shark. Though there have been similar reports of dead sharks washing up on the shores of Lakes Huron, Erie, and Superior, these claims do not have any scientifically documented evidence to back them up either. Without it, most would probably write off the story as another example of fishermen stretching the truth. While bull sharks have been reportedly found up to 1,000 miles deep into the Mississippi, the waters are much warmer than the Great Lakes. No one has reported seeing either fish in Lake Michigan though. Bull Sharks In The Great Lakes - Myth Or Fact? Lake Michigan is home to various aquatic life, including fish, turtles, and waterfowl. They are known to be aggressive predators and will eat a variety of prey, including fish, turtles, dolphins, and even other sharks. Do Bright Colors Attract Sharks? So, are there sharks in Lake Michigan? The fact that they stick to rivers and shallow coastal waters means they regularly come into contact with humans. Though bull sharks have been spotted in the Mississippi River, which joins Lake Michigan, they most likely do not make their way to the actual lake from the ocean because of the presence of locks and dams which make this journey tricky. If you enjoyed this article, you can also check out our pages on thresher shark facts and are there penguins in the North Pole? Of the five, it is the third-largest, behind Lake Huron, and then the largest, Lake Superior. The bull shark is one of the few sharks that have the ability to adapt to freshwater conditions. Bull sharks are considered to be one of the most dangerous sharks in the world. Swimming in Lake Michigan can be a safe and enjoyable activity as long as proper precautions are taken. Its not uncommon for freshwater eel to show up in places like South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The name Carcharhinus leucas comes from the Greek words for shark and nose, while the bull shark name stems from the creatures short, thick, and stocky frame. And, there has never been a scientifically-documented case of a shark found in Lake Michigan. Man finds dead shark in Lake Michigan - NBC News A bull shark is a species of shark that is able to alter its physiology to live in brackish waters. The only shark able to survive in freshwater environments is the bull shark that can recycle salt levels in its kidneys, keeping its cells from rupturing. Once theyve found a home, theyre difficult to remove. Is it real? Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers that love to score the best site! Adult bull sharks are around 8 feet in length and can weigh approximately 300 pounds on average, with female sharks being larger and heavier than males. Are There Sharks In The Great Lakes? Fascinating Facts Revealed! Many shark sightings have been credited to being hallucinations or mirages caused by the sun, or misidentification of a lake sturgeon fish, a large fish that is shark-like in appearance. . Home; Listen. There are also plenty of ports all along the shores of Lake Michigan, including Green Bay and Milwaukee in Wisconsin, Muskegon in Michigan, and Chicago in Illinois. But they arent aggressive toward people without provocation. Bull sharks have the reputation of being among the top three shark species responsible for attacks on humans, the other two being great whites and tiger sharks. A few hours after the surfer was bitten, a 49-year-old Arizona man was standing in waist-high waters off a Long Island beach when a shark came from behind and bit him on the buttocks and wrist. Similar to the bull shark, there have been sightings of piranhas in Lake Michigan. Are Bull Sharks Really In Lake Michigan Or The Ohio River? The bull shark belly is white and they have a dark grey body. Lets look at the different reports. Or, this report near Chicago in 2014 of a possible shark fin sticking up out of the water. Also, there have been no reports of any shark sighting in Lake Superior at all. However, if their numbers continue to drop as a result of climate change and commercial fishing, that could change. There was a sighting of a bull shark in Deep Creek Lake in Maryland in 1983, though similar incidents have not been reported since then. Their kidneys function a bit differently and they have special glands in their tails that allow them to keep salt in their bodies even when they are in freshwater. The Missouri and Mississippi rivers regularly dip below 35 degrees for months at a time, but a bull shark prefers tropical waters that stay above 69 degrees. Other. While the short answer is no, its not as cut and dry as that. Uncovering The Mystery Of The Great White Shark In Lake Michigan In this article, we will be discovering whether seeing a Bull Shark or any shark in the Great Lakes is a fact or just a myth. What lake has sharks? - Lake Access So far this year, there have been 28 shark attack bites in U.S. coastal waters, none of them fatal, in Florida (16), New York (6), California (2) and South Carolina (2), according to a database on the Tracking Sharks website. Like most animals, they will bite if they feel the need to defend themselves. Bull sharks have been found in some strange places, including Lake Pontchartrain following the disastrous Hurricane Katrina. The Snakehead is a non-native, invasive fish whose only predators in the U.S. are anglers. They could be hoaxes due to these reasons. Even though this shark can be found in freshwater habitats, it is believed that the Great Lakes are too cold for a bull shark to live comfortably, even during the summer. The only sharks you are bound to find in the Great Lakes region are those in an aquarium, many of which are a few feet away from the lake waters rather than in the lakes themselves. Also known as blue-green algae, its common in many lakes and waterways around the world. At least two sharks have been sighted in the Mississippi River over the past century, Feldheim told AccuWeather national weather reporter Emmy Victor. She was dangling her feet over her familys paddleboard when she was attacked by what she described as a big fish. The five Great Lakes of North America include Lake Michigan which is located in the United States. Pro Tip: Dont let the creatures of Lake Michigan stop you from some amazing campgrounds. It doesnt happen often, but some shark species can thrive in freshwater, and climate change could increase the chances of an encounter with a shark in the landlocked Midwest, Kevin Feldheim, who conducts shark research at Chicagos Field Museum of Natural History, told AccuWeather. These include being aware of any warnings or advisories related to harmful algal blooms, avoiding underwater hazards, and practicing good water safety habits. But there are a lot of suspect reportsthat could have easily been hoaxed or have an alternative explanation. As with any outdoor activity, it is important to exercise caution and respect the natural environment when enjoying the lake and its surroundings. The Bull Shark is the only species of shark that could potentially live in the Great Lakes waters. In southwestern Nicaragua, Lake Nicaragua is the only Lake inhabited by sharks, sawfish, and tarpon despite being a freshwater lake. In the Great Lakes, the fish are much smaller than the typical prey that sharks hunt for in the ocean. Mosquitos and black-legged ticks carry diseases that can leave you battling illness for the rest of your life. More about how we earn money as an affiliate. (2021) Bull Sharks DOCUMENTED in Great Lakes?! [confirmed!] Lake Lake Pontchartrain is known for having sharks because they swim in from the Gulf of Mexico, but last night a fisherman caught a large bull shark and wants to bring awareness to the dangers that exi If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. Sharks have been spotted in Lake Michigan for many years, and recent reports have gone viral. While no one can say with absolute certainty, but it is a really good bet that Lake Michigan truly is shark free. In 1955, a young boy was reportedly bitten by a shark in the lake, and people have made a couple of other reports of seeing sharks there. In many parts of Africa, the bull shark is known as a Zambezi shark while in parts of South and Central America it's the Lake Nicaragua shark. Following the release of the movie Jaws in the summer of 1975, Tribune readers had questions about a reported shark attack in Lake Michigan from years earlier and submitted them to the papers Action line, which at the time answers questions, solves problems and cuts red tape.. Swallowing large amounts of it can also adversely affect your kidneys or liver. Earlier this month, an angler fishing in the Florida Keys who was bitten by a 6-foot-long lemon shark as he tried to remove a hook from its mouth was airlifted to a Miami hospital. They are bottom feeders, feeding on soft live food, such as worms, leeches, and insect larvae. Could There Actually Be Bull Sharks in the Midwest? Similarly, the Midwest has the water systems and food sources to support a bull shark, but it simply isnt warm enough. Snapping turtles do live in and around Lake Michigan and are native to the area. It was a real 29-inch shark not a fake, that two Coho fishermen pulled from the lake about two miles off the Milwaukee shore on April 25, 1969.