Rumors involving a supposedly newly discovered giant freshwater species named the "Kodiak shark" have persisted in corners of the internet since at least 2023, with dozens of videos citing the supposed species posted on TikTok.
For example, one TikTok user posted a video on Oct. 4, 2024, claiming multiple 65-feet "Kodiak sharks" were found in Lake Michigan "a few weeks ago." The footage stated the "new species ... lives only in freshwater" and has been responsible for multiple shark attack victims who were admitted to the nearby Corewell Health Lakeland Hospital.
However, such rumors are fabricated, as is the existence of the so-called "Kodiak shark," which is why we have rated this claim as false.
Amanda Klingbail, a spokesperson for Michigan's Corewell Health Hospital, said via email "there is no truth to us seeing any shark attack patients at our hospitals."
Some shark species can live in fresh and saltwater environments. According to the Australian Museum, only three known "true river sharks" spend most of their time in freshwater, all of which are "rarely seen and threatened." These include the Speartooth Shark, Ganges Shark, and Northern River Shark.
There is also no evidence the "Kodiak shark" is real. For one, its discovery has not been announced by major news outlets or scientists. Likewise, the Shark Research Institute — a U.S. nonprofit scientific research organization with a focus on shark conservation — makes no mention of a "kodiak shark" on its website. Two other shark indexing websites also do not reference such a species.
Additionally, parts of the video referencing the "kodiak shark" are animated and not actual footage of the creatures.
Other news publications, including Grand Rapids, Michigan, CBS affiliate Wood TV, and the Detroit Free Press, have dispelled rumors of sharks in freshwater lakes.
Sources
Admin, Active Wild. 'Types Of Sharks: Shark Species List With Pictures & Facts'. Active Wild, 7 Dec. 2021, https://www.activewild.com/types-of-sharks/.
Matheny, Keith. "A Shark in the Great Lakes Isn't Quite Impossible. One Odd Species Got as Far as Illinois." Detroit Free Press, https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2024/07/16/bull-shark-mississippi-river-alton-illinois-great-lakes/74383741007/. Accessed 18 Oct. 2024.
Media Contacts | Corewell Health. https://www.beaumont.org/newsroom/media-contacts. Accessed 18 Oct. 2024.
