Muskellunges have reportedly nested in the river at the beach at Parc Jean-Drapeau

At the beach in Jean-Drapeau Park, two or three muskellunges may have established a nest, and one of them may have bitten a child in June 2024, according to an expert.

Muskies, which can grow up to 60 inches long, do not generally attack humans, but they may mistake them for prey.

"The muskellunge has a lateral line, ribs on the side of its body that allow it to detect vibrations in the water, and that's often a sign of food. So it will try to feed," Nicolas Perrier, president of the Montreal chapter of the Muskies Canada fishing club, explained in an interview with LCN on Friday.

The fish is said to have mistaken the young child, who comes from California, for prey and attacked him.

"So it was simply an accident, a natural instinct in our opinion that was the object of the bite," the expert says.

For more details, see the full interview above.