Shark spotted in Canadian Great Lakes (shark week promo)

www.youtube.com...

Just came across this on my FB feed. This is insane if true!! It was spotted near Kingston Ontario, in Lake Ontario. I thought sharks could only survive in salt water, but then I started reading up about the bull shark which apparently can survive in fresh water. I wonder how it could've gotten up there?? Maybe through the channels locks and that sort of thing.

Hmmm interesting it could just be a really big fish, i'd like to see someone with more of a knowledge of fish take a look at this video.

This was filmed at Wolf Island - as per the YouTube description.

This island is in the middle of a body of water that is directly fed by a river, from the ocean.

It is highly possible that a shark could have swam up that river, and ended up in that body of water.

Makes you think twice about letting your feet dangle over the side huh?


Here is the imbed.

yep, thats a bull shark.
They start their lives in freshwater rivers, it's only after they grow enough that they swim back out to sea and return to give birth to their young later. sometimes one or two decide the river is a great place to live and they stick around

in the late 1800's the mississippi river had a bunch of killings due to bull sharks all up and down the river. So yep very possible.

a reply to: sh1fty

The video doesn't seem to be edited. I guess it just depends where it was actually filmed.

I found another article about a shark in Lake Ontario, but the description for the embedded video says Myrtle Beach, so it doesn't seem genuine.

Possible but doubtful in my opinion. Thats almost 300 miles from the nearest saltwater up the St. Lawrence. I have grown up around Lake Ontario my whole life, and being one hell of a deep lake that holds many mysteries, this I find very cool if proven but doubtful.....

originally posted by: jaynkeel
Possible but doubtful in my opinion. Thats almost 300 miles from the nearest saltwater up the St. Lawrence. I have grown up around Lake Ontario my whole life, and being one hell of a deep lake that holds many mysteries, this I find very cool if proven but doubtful.....

Bull sharks can live in fresh water, and do not need salt water to survive.

a reply to: jaynkeel

I live in southern Indiana nowhere near the sea and bull sharks are spotted and caught in the Ohio river a lot more than you would like to imagine. If its connected to the sea by a river, its certain there are bull sharks somewhere in it at some time.

a reply to: sh1fty

Ill tell you this I have fished for years and caught everything from minnow sized brook trout to 400 lbs paddle fish and just about everything between....never have I seen a freshwater fish with a hard dorsal....possibly a bull shark or river shark that was released. Defiantly interesting but also suspicious the video guy seems to be trying overly hard to make it look like a normal day.

originally posted by: jaynkeel
Possible but doubtful in my opinion. Thats almost 300 miles from the nearest saltwater up the St. Lawrence. I have grown up around Lake Ontario my whole life, and being one hell of a deep lake that holds many mysteries, this I find very cool if proven but doubtful.....

Distance is not an issue. Bull sharks are known to swim inland for greater distances. There are documented cases of bull sharks being spotted or even caught in the rivers 1000 miles away from the seas or oceans. What I don't really know though is how can they withstand the cold temperatures of Lake Ontario. Even in the summer time the waters of Lake Ontario remain quiet cold. I swim in this lake all the time and I know how cold it is. Now I guess I have to be more careful if the presence of a bull shark turn to be true. Damn sharks :@

a reply to: jaynkeel

Not all sharks need saltwater.Freshwater Sharks

a reply to: EyesOpenMouthShut

I would think if the numbers were great then it would be more common occurrence. With as many anglers we have up here fishing the hell out of Lake Ontario over the years the number of times a shark caught reported actually in the Lake and not the river are few in my knowledge. But then again I have not spent many hours researching it to be honest. I do not doubt you one bit, but I do doubt the location claimed as Kingston.

Bull shark or Porpoise....I'm going with Porpoise by the shape of the head.

a reply to: Telos

I hear you on the swimming aspect. Makes me think of all the days and nights spent well offshore floating in the dark, perhaps that bump at the feet should have been more alarming!!!

a reply to: jaynkeel

I agree it could be uncommon , i was stating that it's completely plausible for one to have gotten in there

I never knew about sharks that could live in fresh water until I went kayaking for the first time last summer on the Neuse River in North Carolina. We rented the kayak, and were having a great time until we ran into a fellow kayaker who started talking about the bull sharks! I had already been nervous about alligators, but when sharks were thrown into the mix I started having a little less fun, haha!

I also read that bull sharks are pretty aggressive, which makes it even scarier!

I don't go in much water except pools these days... lol.

a reply to: Soloprotocol

Have you ever actually seen a real porpoise??
Compare the images of a porpoise and a bull shark.That was clearly a shark
EDIT: heres a screen shot. notice the serious smile

a reply to: EyesOpenMouthShut

Freaky... nice screen grab you can really see the detail. Compare that to this

It looks eerily similar!!!

a reply to: EyesOpenMouthShut
Didn't notice it smiling for the camera....sunlight on my puter screen. Looks like a Shark to me now.