Did You See the Alligator In Lake Michigan?

We all hear the stories of creatures lurking in the Great Lakes. From Bessie in Lake Erie, and Pressie in Lake Superior, to legitimate sharks in Lake Michigan, the idea that an apex predator of mythical size and proportion could survive in freshwater lakes so far north is almost inexplicable.

However, an extraordinary sight was just made on Lake Michigan that might jump start your imagination to believe in such things. An alligator was confirmed on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Get our free mobile app

Alligators aren't as uncommon in Michigan as you'd think. Granted, they are definitely not native to the Great Lakes area. But years of people bringing them up as pets, and letting them loose, or the occasional escape from a zoo or animal rescue facility does happen, and we get alligators in the wild.

Kalamazoo has a bit of a history with alligators, being found in the river, and just crossing the street.

But to see one of these ancient creatures in Lake Michigan seemed impossible. Alligators are not known for appearing along large bodies of water, especially as big as Lake Michigan. But this is a true story, and it did happen.

Police in South Milwaukee, on the Wisconsin side of the lake, identified a small reptile found on the beach as a confirmed, small, alligator.

"This afternoon, we took a report of an alligator on the Lake Michigan Beach in Grant Park."

Yep, that's an alligator alright... but just a little guy. But the presence of a "Little Guy" also implies his much larger mama is somewhere nearby as well. But it turns out, officials believe this is a one-off scenario, and that no other alligators are likely in the area.

According to the CBS outlet reporting on the incident, it was initially seen much further south, first.

"Authorities don't know who dumped a four-foot-long reptile into Lake Michigan, but they now know what kind it is. After initially believing the animal spotted Monday swimming near Waukegan, Illinois, by a startled kayaker was a caiman, officials now say it is actually an alligator."

So there you have it, alligators in Lake Michigan. And if they found one, then surely there are others... right?