While there have been past “sightings,” most have turned out to be pranks or misidentifications. The reality is that the largest of the Great Lakes (Lake Superior and Michigan) are extremely deep lakes that are too cold for sharks.
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Two Coho fishermen pulled a 29-inch shark from Lake Michigan about two miles off the Milwaukee shore on April 25, 1969. The shark was dead, but for several days fishermen in the area were uneasy.
There have been no confirmed reports of a bull shark being caught in any of the Great Lakes. While bull sharks are known to inhabit freshwater bodies, they typically prefer estuaries and brackish waters where salt and freshwater mix.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. They prefer shallow coastal water, which means they can often come into contact with humans.
The most dangerous predator in the Great Lakes is the sea lamprey, which was actually introduced as an invasive species. Primarily, it goes after a sports fish called the lake trout, often wounding them as they kill them off. It is also attracted to the blood and bodily fluids of any creature.
The health of the waters of the Great Lakes can be measured in many ways, but one of the most unusual is by observing the health of the small population of beluga whales that live in the estuary of the St. Lawrence River.