VIDEO: Shark in Lake Balaton? – Here’s the logical explanation

Dangerous shark in Lake Balaton or just a lighthearted joke? A TikTok video has recently sparked a frenzy, showing what appears to be a shark emerging from Hungary’s Lake Balaton. The footage has led to wild speculation about the presence of sharks in the popular holiday destination. While freshwater sharks do exist, experts assure that there is absolutely no need to worry about a shark in Lake Balaton. So, what could this mysterious creature actually be?

Shark in Lake Balaton?

As Drive writes, we can enjoy swimming in a lake without worrying thoughts of encountering a shark. However, some sharks have surprisingly adapted to freshwater environments. One such species is the bull shark, known for its aggressive nature and capable of growing up to 3.5 meters long. A recent TikTok video features a shark-like fish swimming around in Lake Balaton. Even the caption under the footage says “shark in Lake Balaton”. We must note that the caption was probably intended as a lighthearted joke. However, some commenters had wild speculations about the creature, believing that it was an actual shark.

@valterfishing Cápa a Balatonban 😳#balaton #horgászat #foryou #nekedbe #fyp ♬ son original – Speedup 💗💸

Zsolt Szári, head of Balaton Fish Management Non-Profit Ltd, says that “for a shark to get to Lake Balaton, not only would it have to travel an unacceptably long distance, but the freshwater would not be very good for its health either”. He concluded, “sharks do not survive in freshwater, so it is completely impossible for any species of shark to appear in Lake Balaton”.

So what is the mysterious animal in the footage?

Therefore, there has to be a logical explanation for the mysterious animal featured in the video. Szári says:

This is not the first time that the Balaton shark has been mentioned, it is as much a myth and legend as the Balaton hake. What you see in the video is probably a hybrid species of carp, weighing 40-50 kilograms and nearly 30 years old. Their body length can reach one and a half metres. Hybrid carp were first introduced into Lake Balaton in the 1960s.

Hamu és Gyémánt writes that these hybrid carps are entirely non-native to Lake Balaton and cannot reproduce there, making them a rare sight. Experts explain that these fish were introduced into the lake through deliberate breeding, and now fishermen are relying on nature and time to take their course. It seems that people can still enjoy their holidays without having to worry about a shark in Lake Balaton.

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Featured image: depositphotos.com

Please note that the featured image is just an illustration and not from the actual footage mentioned in the article.