Was there a shark found in Lake Erie?

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that sharks were seen in Lake Erie. Whittington, who took the original photos, confirmed they were taken in Florida. A marine ecologist told USA TODAY a shark could not practically reach Lake Erie let alone survive the fresh water.



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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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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.

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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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Lake sturgeons are the biggest fish in the Great Lakes.

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Currents in Lake Erie can be dangerous! Any current flowing faster than 2 mph is considered dangerous. Dangerous currents can exceed 5 mph — faster than an Olympic swimmer can swim.

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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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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.

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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.

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The sea lamprey is an invasive species living in Canada's Great Lakes that had been kept under control for decades - until now. Erica Vella explains how the pandemic fuelled a population spike among the “vampire fish,” and what's being done to stop them.

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In northeastern Ohio and Michigan folklore, Bessie is a name given to a lake monster in Lake Erie, also known as South Bay Bessie or simply The Lake Erie Monster.

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With a mean surface height of 570 feet (170 metres) above sea level, Erie has the smallest mean depth (62 feet) of the Great Lakes, and its deepest point is 210 feet.

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Lake Erie's deepest point is 210 ft., and it is located in the Eastern portion of the lake in what is called the Long Point Escarpment, not far from Ontario, Canada.

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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.

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