While bull sharks have evolved to live in freshwater, the reality is that there are no verified reports of sharks in the Great Lakes. While there have been past “sightings,” most have turned out to be pranks or misidentifications.
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Since then, there have been several other reported sightings of bull sharks in the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Ontario. However, many of these sightings have been discredited as hoaxes or misidentifications of other fish species.
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.
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.
Lake Nicaragua is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the Americas and bull sharks travel up the San Juan River and through a series of eight rapids in a similar manner to salmon to reach the lake, where they may stay for several years.
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 renowned of these Great Lakes sea monsters supposedly resides in Lake Erie. Sightings of the lake monster Bessie were first made in the late 1700s but appeared again with some regularity in the 1980s. Bessie is described as being about 20 feet long, serpent-like but with appendages that resemble arms.
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.
These lakes are the perfect backdrop for swimming, boating, and other water-related activities. But there can be more danger in these Great Lakes waves than what you'd find in the ocean. The Great Lakes are more than capable of generating waves over 10 feet high, despite being smaller than our oceans.