The Great Lakes, also known as the Laurentian Great Lakes, is a group of five interconnected freshwater lakes that link to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River.
They are located in the northern Mideast of the United States and take up an area of over 92k miles.
Native tribes established the area before the French arrived in 1615.
But ever since word came back to Europe about these amazing bodies of water, so have the stories of their danger.
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So… Are There Sharks in The Great Lakes?
Technically, an overwhelming majority of sharks are physically incapable of existing in these waters.
Freshwater is not conducive to the survival of marine animals that require saltwater, such as sharks.
Even if they could survive the variance of water, there are way too many barriers to keep them from actually getting all the way into the lakes, including locks, dams, and even Niagara Falls.
According to A-Z Animals, there is only one type of shark that could have any chance whatsoever of life in these lakes, if it were able to get through a barrage of challenges, and that would be the bull shark.
Bull Shark in The Great Lakes
While it is possible for the bull shark to exist here, the harsh winter weather and extreme lack of food would make it nearly impossible to sustain any type of existence.
So, if this shark did manage to get in, the stay would be short.
The Great Lakes, in warmer times of the year, has prey that is typically much smaller than the bull shark is accustomed to.
Despite the obstacles, there have been reports of bull sightings in Lake Michigan.
However, there has been evidence to back up the claims.
Is it Safe to Swim in The Great Lakes?
In a place called The Great Lakes, it seems impossible not to get in the water.
On the whole, this can be a safe place to enjoy the summer heat and take in the many water activities of the season.
Knowing you will not be running into the sharks any time soon makes it all the more enticing.
Being confident you will not see any sharks while the family is frolicking in the water may put your mind at ease, but there are still plenty of creatures lurking in the depths to be on the lookout for.
Here are some of the more unsettling aquatic life that has been spotted or captured in the lakes:
- Snakehead Fish. These fish have the body of a snake with teeth that make them even scarier. Perhaps the worst part of these slippery, bite-prone fish is that they can actually walk.
- Pacu. If you have seen a piranha, you have an idea of how intimidating these fish are, since they are related. These fish have what looks like human teeth and hail from South America. They are quick to bite and have been known to focus on particularly sensitive male anatomy.
- Sea Lamprey. This parasitic fish has rows of teeth and a body similar to an eel. They prefer cold-blooded animals to humans but have been known to attack them on rare occasions.
Interesting Shark Facts in The Great Lakes
The tales of finding sharks in the lakes have been around for years, some even claiming to have pulled in a great white.
We know now that even a recent news story about a shark in the Great Lakes was a hoax to promote Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.
So, what other stories are lurking in the waters?
- South Bay Bessie. A seeming relative of Loch Ness’ lake monster by a similar name, Bessie was first spoken of just before the turn of the 19th century. It is believed that she has gone out of her way to try and sink boats that go out on Lake Erie waters. The creature is serpent-like with arms and is as long as 50ft.
- Ghost Ships. If you are out on a boat or flying overhead, it might be a bit unnerving to look into the deep end across the Great Lakes, since there are more than 6k shipwrecks on the bottom. Supposedly, they do not just stay on the bottom, however. For years, there have been reports of old-style ships gliding across the water. There was even a video of someone capturing what they believed to be the resurrection of a long sunken pirate ship.
- Lake Michigan Triangle. Watch out Bermuda! Similar to South Bay Bessie, there is another phenomenon that is happening in the Great Lakes. The area has quite a spread and has been credited with some serious disruptions. Catching sight of UFOs, missing sailors, and entire ships, as well as entire groups of people never to be seen or heard from again. These stories have been coming in ever since 1891.
Another reason sharks are unlikely to enjoy the Great Lakes is that they are not into freshwater, which is what lakes are made of.
Sharks have to have salt or it will cause them so many issues internally that they will not be able to make it very long.
Because their bodies are not meant to withhold the salt they would need if they left safe waters, they can not leave the saltwater.
This whole scenario is what makes bull sharks the most dangerous.
These types of sharks have evolved to be able to live in freshwater or saltwater due to their kidneys recycling the salt, which helps with retention.
It is believed that part of the reason bull sharks developed this and none of the others have is that it gives them an advantage, especially with their young.
The shark pups have a safe place to grow and develop without the worry of any issues from other sharks.
There are over 500 types of sharks who have a variety of preferences for what they like, aside from most of them preferring saltwater.
Almost all can be found above 2k meters down.
Just as rare as it is to see a shark in freshwater, it is that rare to see one further than 3k meters down.
Each species has a different temperature preference.
Bulls, hammerheads, and tiger sharks like warm water, whereas goblin and Greenfield sharks like it cold.
There are a few, such as mako, basking, and blue sharks who like temperate swimming conditions.
3 Safety Tips for Swiming in Shark-infested Waters
The Great Lakes may not need extra caution for fear of sharks, but if you find yourself in waters that do, here are some safety tips:
- Before you go out to the beach, check the internet for that beach to see if it is known for sightings. As technology grows, there are websites and even apps that keep track of different species and aquatic life. As we move forward in time, the tracking will get better. For now, doing a quick search on the website and even social media could prove very insightful.
- Another thing to look out for is what type of water is where you are headed. If the beach you are planning to go to is new to you, have a look at what kind of water it is. The murkier, the less the vision you will have while out enjoying the day. If you cannot see a shark, they cannot see that you are not what they typically would eat. Contrary to popular movies and other works of fiction, they would like to avoid biting into human flesh.
- Check to see if this beach doubles as a place for fishermen. Where there are fishermen, there are more likely schools of fish. If you are pulling up to a scene with birds diving into the water for fish and fishermen out on their boats, this is exactly the type of environment where the sharks would want to be. In this scenario, you would do your best to stay as close to the shore as is feasible.
When it comes to the Great Lakes, you have the ability to enjoy a wide range of waters, activities, and views.
As dramatic as the lakes came into being, through glaciers crashing across the continent, it is quite fitting that there is plenty of drama going on in, out, and sometimes on top of the water.
Despite the many years of reports that there were sharks in the water, we know that is highly unlikely.
Even the ones who have evolved to tolerate freshwater will ultimately die out due to an inability to get enough food during the winter.
Last we checked, sharks do not have winter homes to visit.
However, there is plenty of other intimidating aquatic life that could give you a good scare out on the lakes.
While the majority of the time people spend on the beach is relatively safe, there are plenty of reasons to be extra cautious, given the history of the area and some scary things that have been caught in it.
Sources
- https://greatlakesecho.org/2015/07/23/great-whites-in-the-great-lakes-bull-shark/
- https://www.wpr.org/swimming-great-lakes-requires-greater-caution-officials-say
- https://greatlakes.org/2020/03/great-lakes-myths/
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lake-michigan-triangle
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/shark-attack-threats-bull-sharks-location
- https://sharksinfo.com/where-do-sharks-live-and-what-is-a-sharks-habitat/
- https://www.adventhealth.com/hospital/adventhealth-new-smyrna-beach/blog/5-shark-safety-tips-get-you-back-beach
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the chances of being attacked by a shark?
The likelihood of being bitten, eaten, or worse by a shark is one in 5,000,000.
You are more likely to be struck by lightning than to come face to face with a shark.
By contrast, people take the lives of about 100,000,000 sharks a year, while they take about five of us in the same time frame.
Which body of water is the most dangerous in the Great Lakes?
Lake Michigan stands out as the deadliest of all five lakes.
To be fair, there were 108 Great Lake drownings in 2020.
38 of those were in Lake Michigan, far outweighing the other four, including the least in Lake Superior with two.
Where in the US are sharks?
Florida has the most recorded shark attacks.
Due to a large number of shark events, the state has been deemed “the shark attack capital of the world.”
Half of all attacks annually come from this state, which is essentially a beach all the way around.
Other states to be cautious when on their beaches are Hawaii, California, and both the Carolinas.
Thank you for the interesting facts! I really enjoyed reading about sharks in the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes may have a history of shark sightings, but the likelihood of them actually being present is extremely low due to their inability to survive in freshwater. However, there are still other potentially dangerous aquatic creatures that should be taken into consideration when swimming in these waters.