Are there bull sharks in the Chicago river?

There are no sharks in Lake Michigan. Most sharks require salt water and most freshwater sharks don't live anywhere near the Great Lakes. Periodically there are rumors of Bull sharks swimming up the Mississippi River and into the Illinois River to get to Lake Michigan, but this would be an unlikely journey.



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No shark reports have been scientifically documented in the lake. The Illinois River has seen at least one documented case. Dams now keep any wandering sharks from entering the river.

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Its range extends as far up the Mississippi River as Alton, Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Conservation, two commercial fishermen from Alton, Herbert Cope and Dudge Collins, caught a bull shark in 1937.

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Bull sharks are found in coastal waters all over the world. In the United States they are found off the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. Unlike most sharks, bull sharks can survive in freshwater for long periods of time. They have even been found in the Mississippi and Amazon Rivers.

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But Bull Sharks are able to recycle salt in their kidneys, maintaining salt levels critical to its survival. Yet even the Bull Shark would not be able to make its way into the Great Lakes watershed and survive! The water temperature in the Great Lakes is far too cold for most sharks (including the Bull Shark).

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No, there are no sharks in Lake Tahoe.

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Alligators, otters, beavers and rusty crayfish have all made the river their home.

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Is the Chicago River Safe to Swim in? Unfortunately, despite all of these efforts, we still do not recommend taking a dip in the Chicago River. The water quality has improved drastically since the 1970s, but the waterways still face challenges. Much less litter pollutes the banks, but unseen dangers still lie below.

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Lake Nicaragua is the only freshwater lake containing oceanic animal life, including sharks, swordfish, and tarpon. More than 40 rivers drain into the lake, the largest being the Tipitapa River.

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Alligators are rarely found in the Great Lakes. Although some alligators thrive in freshwater, it's just too cold in the north for them to survive. They don't typically live farther north than North Carolina. It's unclear how the alligator arrived to Lake Michigan.

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A 4-foot alligator was found in Lake Michigan this week, but experts say there should be no worries that the reptiles could take up permanent residence in the Great Lakes the way pythons have made a home in the Florida Everglades. Midwest winters are way too cold for gators.

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