There are no sharks in Tippecanoe Lake. None. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
But people on social media – especially Facebook – have been spreading a fake news story claiming a bull shark was found in the Leesburg lake.
While the satirical piece was about as believable as the plotline in a “Sharknado” movie, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College felt compelled to refute the story this morning.
A news release from Lakes & Streams said that a “story” released Wednesday via a satirical news site, Breakingnews365.net, claimed that “Indiana Fish and Wildlife” representatives responded to a call at Patona Bay concerning an angler who caught a shark on Tippecanoe Lake.
Since the article’s release, it has been shared more than 8,500 times and raised concerns around the county leading into the holiday weekend.
The story claims a female bull shark was found in Tippecanoe Lake and had recently given birth to pups. The story also cautioned parents and children swimming off the shoreline of the lake.
State DNR Assistant Fisheries Biologist Tyler Delauder also responded to the posting and said, “Hoax news is something that we are starting to see more and more and the ability for information to be spread quickly has never been greater. It is important to always check the source of the information and make sure that it is reliable one.”
“In the most recent case, a story about a bull shark in Lake Tippecanoe is a hoax. The website where the article can be found clearly states on the bottom of the page ‘This website is an entertainment website, news are created by users. These are humorous news, fantasy, fictional, that should not be seriously taken or as a source of information,’” the DNR statement said.
Lilly Center Director Dr. Nate Bosch said, “Part of our center’s mission is to keep local waterways healthy and safe, but sharing false reports that cause unnecessary alarm on our lakes is not helpful in making them better for our community.”
In the future, people with questions are encouraged to contact local experts, such as the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams and the Indiana DNR, with concerns about Kosciusko County lakes. Community members also are encouraged to refrain from sharing similar satirical stories which can cause confusion.
