{"id":8887,"date":"2023-11-22T09:30:15","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T08:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lakebeyond.com\/?p=8887"},"modified":"2023-11-22T09:30:15","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T08:30:15","slug":"are-there-freshwater-whales-in-lake-superior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lakebeyond.com\/are-there-freshwater-whales-in-lake-superior\/","title":{"rendered":"Are There Freshwater Whales In Lake Superior"},"content":{"rendered":"
Are There Freshwater Whales in Lake Superior? <\/b> <\/p>\n
Though scientists have yet to uncover evidence of a freshwater whale in Lake Superior, reports of sightings suggest it’s possible such a mammal exists. <\/p>\n
The Great Lakes are home to many fish species, but none make up the mystery mammal of Lake Superior. Fish surveys conducted around the lake, detect species such as whitefish, trout, northern pike, walleye and suckers, but nothing quite like the whale. <\/p>\n
Though experts believe the species to be over two hundred years extinct, stories and sightings of the long gone beast continue to surface. <\/p>\n
Local fishermen, for example, attribute their heavy catches in certain areas to an immense whale or monster lurking beneath the waves. Other freshwater sightseers have claimed to have seen a large, mammal-shaped object break above the water’s surface as they paddle their canoes down the lake’s shimmering streams.<\/p>\n
According to legends, the creature was originally believed to be an esox, a sea serpent-like fish endemic to Lake Superior. Local tribes, such as the Anishinaabe, also known as the Ojibwe, believed the lake was inhabited by powerful, dangerous creatures, like the Nibiinaabek and Mishibizhiw. <\/p>\n
The Zhaawano, or “thunderbird” of the Ojibwa tribes, was a giant, giant bird with a wingspan that could span the horizon. But local stories often blended their descriptions of birds with those of whales and other large creatures. Fish tales of the creature continued for centuries, and today, locals fear the deep depths of Lake Superior as if there were still something alive beneath the surface. <\/p>\n
So could there be some truth to all of these rumors? Some experts believe there could be a large mammal swimming deep in the lakes. With that said, there have been no confirmed recorded sightings of the creature, and tourists are warned
\nagainst spending too much time speculating while out on the lake. <\/p>\n
Still, just like Nessy in Scotland, many locals are still waiting for their own version of the Loch Ness monster. <\/p>\n
The first reported sighting of a Freshwater whale in any of the Great Lakes was reported in 1808. Thefur trader, Peter Dougherty reported that he saw a creature, “about the size of a whale” rise out of the lake near Door County, Wisconsin. <\/p>\n
Over the next century, more and more reports of sightings of the mysterious creature came from the Great Lakes region. The most famous account occurred in 1900, when two fishermen described an extended encounter with a “strange creature” in Lake Superior. <\/p>\n
The following year, two separate accounts were documented by two different groups of witnesses, describing a lake monster in the lake. <\/p>\n
Though these reports were exciting, no physical evidence of the creature was ever taken. Over the years, reports of the monster have been met with skepticism and disdain. <\/p>\n
Today, the search continues, but despite modern technology, the mystery remains unsolved. <\/p>\n
Because of the evidence left in historical records, some scientists believe the Freshwater Whale may have been an actual animal. It could have been a subspecies of the Beluga Whale or Narwhal, which are both well-known creatures living in the Arctic oceans. <\/p>\n
There is also a possibility that the creature is not a whale, but a large fish species. Megalodon, a species of prehistoric shark, is one theory debated by modern scientists. Megalodon could potentially have survived in the cold waters of the Great Lakes, as some fish species live in temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit. <\/p>\n