On Tuesday, August 15, 2023, Idaho Fish and Game traveled to the Salmon River in Idaho to investigate accusations made via email and phone call by multiple people that a shark had washed up on its shore.
After a close study, it appears that the shark is a Salmon Shark (Lamna ditropis), which is surprising given that the river and shark have the same name. After all, salmon sharks come from the Salmon River in Idaho, right?
Some Sharks Can Live in Freshwater
The Salmon River is more than 500 miles from the ocean, and Idaho remains a landlocked agricultural state in the United States. The bull shark is the only shark known to be capable of swimming up rivers from the ocean.
The bull shark’s larger kidneys and a gland near its tail allow it to swim in brackish and even freshwater. The two assist the shark retain salt while filtering out fresh water. They can live in freshwater full-time if they urinate twenty times more than in salt water. The salmon shark is unable to filter freshwater and would perish if it attempted to dwell in it.
Also, Read:
- Stay on Alert at This Most Haunted Hotel in Long Beach, California
- Flora-Bama is Alabama’s Best Dive Bar, Claimed by Residents
Salmon Shark Facts
Salmon sharks are native to the North Pacific Ocean. They can grow to 10 feet long and weigh up to 660 pounds. These rarely-seen sharks can swim at speeds of up to 50 mph for short periods of time. They are linked to the makos and great white sharks.
The salmon shark is sometimes confused for the great white shark and the northern Atlantic porbeagle shark, despite the fact that its nose is blunt. Because they dwell in cold water as low as 34 degrees Fahrenheit, being endothermic, like the great white, keeps them warmer than the water they inhabit.
Read More: Retirement in Virginia vs Retirement in Florida
The Truth
The truth lies at the bottom of the narrative about the salmon shark in the Salmon River. Sharks pose no threat to salmon in the Salmon River, and there is no reason to be afraid. The salmon shark lives 500 miles away in the saltwater ocean and will stay there for the rest of its life.
The shark discovered in the Idaho River was a clear hoax and a play on words. The little shark was most likely captured while an Idaho resident was visiting the water and brought back to fool the locals. Someone has been laughing about this for days.
Read More: US City with the Highest Obese Population