Bell Media fesses up to shark stunt

(Updated)

For a majority of the day, we were all under the impression that there was a possible shark sighting on Wolfe’s Island near Kingston. Well, we were all fooled.

This is a YouTube video that has everyone asking the question — is that a shark in Lake Ontario?

“Oh, that’s a shark! That’s a shark I think!”

The video, showing a couple friends reeling in the suspected shark has been watched over 200 thousand times — bringing out everyone’s inner marine biologist, from everyday people.

“You see the fin there a little bit. I think it is.”

“Maybe it was a mutation, I don’t think it was a shark.”

To those leading our province.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath: “I think if people are seeing sharks in the waters they need to be calling the Ministry of Natural Resources and letting them know.”

Interim PC Leader Jim Wilson: “Probably a Liberal that lost his way on Wolfe Island, and he should be brought back into the fold.”

But to the trained eye, this shark was more of a sham.

Andy Dehart, Ripley’s Aquarium: “Looked at the footage right away and thought, that’s not a shark.”

So if it wasn’t a shark, like that one. What was it?

According to Bell Media, it was an incredibly life-like prosthetic — aka a fake, part of a multi-level marketing campaign to spread the word about the cultural television phenomena that is Sharkweek.

So we learned two things, the internet cannot be trusted, and people just love sharks.

Andy Dehart: “If you look back at the historical records, there’s always been this almost fear or just awe about sharks, and part of that is due to the fact that these animals live in an environment that we’re not comfortable in.”

But you can be comfortable about venturing into Ontario’s lakes. You don’t need a bigger boat, or keep your kids from the water at the cottage. Because this shark is as real, as that one.