The Great Lakes of North America are a marvel of freshwater beauty and biodiversity. These five interconnected lakes – Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario – form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total area. They’re home to a rich variety of life, from tiny plankton to massive lake sturgeon. The creatures that dwell in these waters have adapted to thrive in unique conditions, facing challenges like icy winters and varying water depths. Some are ancient species that have remained largely unchanged for millions of years, while others are newcomers that have made the Great Lakes their home. Here are 15 fascinating creatures that inhabit the Great Lakes.
1. Lake Sturgeon
The lake sturgeon is a living fossil, largely unchanged for over 100 million years. These massive fish can grow up to 2 meters long and live for over a century. Lake sturgeon have a shark-like body and a sucker-like mouth that they use to vacuum up small prey from the lake bottom. Despite their prehistoric appearance, they’re quite gentle and pose no threat to humans.
2. Walleye
Walleye are prized game fish in the Great Lakes, known for their tasty flesh and challenging nature. These fish have large, glassy eyes that give them excellent vision in low-light conditions, allowing them to hunt effectively at dawn and dusk. Walleye are voracious predators, feeding on smaller fish like yellow perch and minnows. They can grow up to 75 centimeters long and weigh up to 9 kilograms.
3. Lake Trout
Lake trout are the largest native trout species in the Great Lakes. These cold-water fish prefer the deeper, chillier parts of the lakes and can live for several decades. Lake trout are known for their distinctive forked tail and light spots on a dark background. They’re slow-growing fish, taking many years to reach maturity, which makes them vulnerable to overfishing.
4. Sea Lamprey
The sea lamprey is an invasive species that has had a significant impact on the Great Lakes ecosystem. These eel-like fish are parasitic, attaching themselves to other fish with their sucker-like mouths and feeding on their blood and bodily fluids. Sea lampreys entered the Great Lakes through man-made canals and have been a major focus of control efforts to protect native fish populations.
5. Yellow Perch
Yellow perch are a popular fish for both commercial and recreational fishing in the Great Lakes. These small, colorful fish are known for their bright yellow sides and dark vertical bars. Yellow perch typically travel in schools, feeding on a variety of small aquatic creatures. They’re an important food source for larger predatory fish and birds in the Great Lakes ecosystem.
6. Burbot
The burbot is a unique fish that looks like a cross between an eel and a catfish. It’s the only freshwater member of the cod family and is sometimes called the “poor man’s lobster” due to its tasty meat. Burbot are most active in winter, spawning under the ice. They have a large mouth and a barbel (whisker-like sensory organ) on their chin, which they use to find prey in the dark depths of the lakes.
7. Lake Whitefish
Lake whitefish are an important commercial fish species in the Great Lakes. These silvery fish have a small head and a forked tail, and can grow up to 70 centimeters long. Lake whitefish are bottom feeders, using their subterminal mouths (located slightly behind the tip of the snout) to scoop up small organisms from the lake floor. They’re known for their mild, delicate flavor and are often smoked or used in fish fries.
8. Round Goby
The round goby is another invasive species that has made its home in the Great Lakes. These small, bottom-dwelling fish are native to the Black and Caspian Seas but were introduced to the Great Lakes via ballast water from ships. Round gobies are aggressive and can outcompete native fish for food and habitat. They have a distinctive black spot on their first dorsal fin and fused pelvic fins that form a suction disk, allowing them to cling to rocks in strong currents.
9. Muskellunge
The muskellunge, often called “muskie,” is the largest member of the pike family found in the Great Lakes. These long, torpedo-shaped fish are apex predators, known for their aggressive nature and impressive size – they can grow over 1.5 meters long. Muskies have a large mouth filled with sharp teeth, which they use to ambush prey like smaller fish and even waterfowl. They’re a prized catch for sport fishers due to their size and fighting ability.
10. Lake Herring
Lake herring, also known as cisco, are small, silvery fish that play a crucial role in the Great Lakes food web. These fish are plankton eaters and serve as an important food source for larger predatory fish. Lake herring have a slender body and a protruding lower jaw. They were once a major commercial fish species in the Great Lakes but have declined due to overfishing and competition from invasive species.
11. Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass are popular sport fish in the Great Lakes, known for their fighting spirit when caught. These fish have a brown or bronze coloration with dark vertical bars on their sides. Smallmouth bass prefer rocky areas with cool, clear water. They’re voracious predators, feeding on a variety of prey including crayfish, small fish, and insects.
12. Channel Catfish
Channel catfish are bottom-dwelling fish found in all of the Great Lakes. They have a distinctive forked tail and whisker-like barbels around their mouth, which they use to find food in murky waters. Channel catfish are opportunistic feeders, eating everything from insects and small fish to plant matter. They’re popular among anglers and are also commercially important in some areas of the Great Lakes.
13. Freshwater Drum
The freshwater drum, also known as sheepshead, is a unique fish found in the Great Lakes. It gets its name from the drumming sound males make to attract females during spawning season. Freshwater drum have a silvery-gray body and a humped back. They use their strong pharyngeal teeth (throat teeth) to crush the shells of mollusks and crayfish, which make up a large part of their diet.
14. American Eel
The American eel is a fascinating migratory species that spends part of its life in the Great Lakes. These snake-like fish are born in the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic Ocean and travel thousands of kilometers to reach freshwater habitats like the Great Lakes. American eels can breathe through their skin as well as their gills, allowing them to travel short distances over land. They’re catadromous, meaning they live in freshwater but return to the ocean to spawn.
15. Spottail Shiner
The spottail shiner is a small but important fish in the Great Lakes ecosystem. These silvery minnows have a distinctive black spot at the base of their tail fin. Spottail shiners are an important food source for many larger fish species in the Great Lakes. They prefer sandy or gravelly areas in shallow water and often form large schools. Despite their small size, typically less than 15 centimeters, they play a crucial role in the food web of the Great Lakes.
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