The Importance Of Bull Sharks In Lake Ontario

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If you’re a swimmer or other recreational user of Lake Ontario, you might want to hang up your jet ski, put away your flippers, or find another beach for your summertime activities. Local marine biologists who specialize in the Great Lakes and surrounding waterways recently released a startling statement regarding Lake Ontario, saying there may be a bull shark population on the rise. In late summer of 2015, scientists released roughly a dozen bull sharks into Lake Ontario in order to curb the grass carp numbers. The grass carp, an invasive species to the area, has caused many problems to fishers and the endemic species of the Great Lakes, not to mention upsetting the natural order of the ecosystem. The plan was to release several bull sharks in order to lower the amount of carp. Bull sharks are the only sharks that are able to readily adjust to freshwater. They are usually found in warm, coastal waters - perfect in the summer. The scientist’s initial hope was that the harsh Canadian winter would eliminate the bull sharks from forming a colony in the Great Lakes. This seems to not be the case, as last summer, a swimmer was reportedly attacked by an unknown sea creature and required a trip to the hospital. …show more content…
Swimmers and other people who use Lake Ontario are warned of the possible danger of having bull sharks in the lake, but are also asked to not give in to the widespread shark-hatred rampant around areas sharks inhabit. It is possible to coexist with these non-native animals, but be

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