Everyone's Asking: Do Mermaids Really Exist? ...Well, Do They?

 

Charlie Foley, SVP of Development for Animal Planet, is Creator, Writer and Executive Producer of Mermaids: The Body Found. Get his answers to FAQs about the program.

 

How much of this is real and how much of this is made up?

The science really informs the fiction. The theory of Aquatic Ape mentioned in the program is real and has been studied for decades. Many events in the show have occurred – i.e. the whale beachings, Navy experimental sonar testing, The Bloop ...

We use the transitive property to further explore the possibility of mermaids – i.e. if polar bears evolved from the brown bear, isn’t it possible that a mermaid, which was reported in disparate civilizations for ages, evolved from a human-like creature that retreated into the water?

The scientists are actors who portray an authentic government organization (NOAA) who currently study phenomena like whale beachings and sonar testing. The imagined part of the show is our entry point into a new world of possibility rooted in science.

What inspired the look of the CGI mermaids?

The mermaids you’ll see in the special were born from the scientific evidence that exists in other real evolutionary theories. This informed us on the physical characteristics mermaids would share with humans and which attributes they would have acquired through evolution in order to live in our oceans. For example, mermaids most likely would not have hair, since that would cause much drag moving through the water. And, like other marine mammals such as dolphins and whales, the mermaids have a type of countershading - a dark blue shade on the top and a paler shade on the underside.  This is a form of camouflage - when you look down at the creature from above, the dark blue skin tone blends against the dark blue of the water.  Whereas if you are looking up at the creature from underneath, the paler shaded skin blends against the lighter surface.

 

Do you believe in mermaids -- do you believe the scientific theory has weight?

I believe in possibilities and the power of imagination – that we haven’t found everything out there yet. In the past two decades alone, we just learned about two species of whales that we never knew existed.

Scientists have spent countless hours exploring the scientific theory behind this special – it is undeniably compelling –and the ‘what ifs’ are just too irresistible to ignore.

 

Charlie reveals *all* the Mermaid secrets on CNN's Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien:

 

Related Links

Gather the Evidence: Watch Mermaids Video!

Do You Believe?: Compelling Mermaids Photos

Watch: All of Our Monstrous Video!

Comments

[jose]

cuando van a desmentir sobre el falso documental de las sirenas, es decepcionante saber que animal planet es otra fuente de mentiras y engaños que confunde a mucha gente y siguen emitiendo el documental como verdadero :/ espero que puedan aclarar el tema de las sirenas de una vez por todas, gracias

[jane]

I beleive in mermaids she bought a book about mermaids to learn about them

[sunny]

I think mermaids IS real, but mostly disgusting in real the other parts like movie.Some pictures I just saw is pretty weird and disturbing, too.

[Orikinla Osnachi]

I believe in the existence of mermaids and mermen, because those who have actually seen them included my beloved mother Gladys Eke of blessed memory and she never lied to me. Again her first child and daughter Chioma had an uncanny love for water and during fishing festivals she was using her bare hands to bring out fish from holes by the banks of the river and nobody taught her how to swim and one midnight she swam across a river when she did not find canoes to take her across, because it was too late. It was unheard of for a 12 year old to swim across a dreaded river in Eastern Nigeria. The elders called her "Ogbanje" of the marine spirits and she died months afterwards. My father always said we were from the water, but as a Christian I rejected his claims even though I also have a passion for ponds, streams, lakes, rivers and seas and I love sea foods. Moreover I could draw strange beings from the seas and stars without any previous knowledge. My father was a meta-physician and my mother understood him very well.

[Kayla]

Maybe they DO exist but the gov wont tell us!

[Kayla]

I think they really do exist. Ive always been like a little girl believing in mermaids. When i was little i had mermaid barbies and my mom told me mermaids aren't real but ever since i was little i like KNEW they could be real and I've lived swimming and learning about the ocean

[luzy]

lalalala!! do not kill!!

[luzy]

i love mermaids!!!!!do not kill animal!!( = :p

[sid]

I've just watched a repeat of 'Mermaids - body found' on Discovery....and have to admit I was intrigued. All through history, mermaids have been referenced to, in many cultures...and one thing is always the same - the pictures they have drawn, the documentation....its always the same. Now, i'm no believer in mythology...but - mythology has to start from something.
Science on more than one occasion has stated that a species as been deemed as extinct...for it to re-appear out of the blue (the coelocanth being one example). Has was stated quite clearly in the program...we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about our own planet. Are we so sure that there is not something out there in the blue sea that we have never seen before - but may have been quite common place in a less hostile time?

[kasie]

Hi as you see my name is Kasie, I watched the show MERMADS:THE BODY FOUND.
So I'm almost nine (9). I thought mermaids would be more prettier but there blue creatures and instead, of regular skin like us they have BLUE skin. I freaked out when I saw the video with the two boys and the mermaid that looked DEAD but the mermid wasn't. But I think mermaids are REAL

[Tivionale]

you know what i know there is something out in the ocean more than whats on land and i know there is such thing as mermaids. mermaids were belived to be real in the past like ages ago. our ansesters saw them or believed in them and we should too. There are so much that us humans can find whats out in the wild or in the ocean and i bet you one day we will find the mermaids again. People say they dont exsist because they just think its a woman with a tail but its not. they're wrong. They are creatures that we dont entirely know about. I believe in mermaids because my ansesters do and im a beleiver. I dont have to see it to beleive it its more than that. Like some people dont believe in god beacause they have never seen him before or heard him before or they are not beleivers. Any way i know they exsist and i hope you do 2. i dont care if anyone disagrees with me but i care if they do . Amen to the MERMAIDS <3

[Raxxiloxx]

the blogger above clearly stated what was fact and what was fiction. the theory is just a theory, the "scientists" are actors and the "mermaids" were CGI. one other thing to consider is that if they were found to be real, i doubt their scientific name would be "mermaid" ie: marine woman. just saying.

[randy]

you people are crazy.If we had to could we hide on land,i do not think so.Mermaids are as real as unicorns.

[land being called human]

look, it is obvious humans are just above animals in intelligence and instinct is to deny anything thats contrary to common acceptance.The collective mind urge is to fit in.So, anything not normal or seen-is not accepted nor concidered.we humans,have become puppets for t.v.and movies...my goodness, just look at the commercials embedded in the mermaid clips!we are drones of stupidity,pretending to be thinking;being fed constant garbage to ensure one is aware of the next menue for consuming...insanity!our world is dying because of us.surpression is a common theme because some quasy ultra malformed process has become a malignant overseer denying us all truth outside accepted values.To see when it is required to be blind,means to be a person undesirable to that program.Having witnessed a sea person in hawaii in the shallows at a beach secluded,the being,stared at me for 20seconds or more,having come to the surface-at first I thought it was a turtle,but it had hair and when it turned sideways there was no doubt it was not a turtle,but a real sea being!Wake up stupid drones! you design your world around bacon and pancakes,diet soda's meant to kill you! there isnt much hope for any of you.Your lack of faith in religions meant to give you peace condemns you,and when you have any faith,you limit GOD to be only what you want that presense to be.The truth is the creation of "other then", life types challenges you all and overseer programs stifle any contrary awareness of such unknowns as 'mer peoples','mermaids','sea being's'and all the other stuff as well,(big foots,aliens etc.)even if we were to actually accept their existance's, it would not change anything...we still will continue killing our planet,(their's too)and very soon now we shall become paintings on cave walls as well,and skulls lying about-long gone.

[vaidehi]

I found this show very interesting and i think mermaids must be exsist. we still dont know how many species are there in sea which are still hidden from us and specialy mermaids if they do exsist then definately they must be having brain like us and inteligence like us. so its very easy for them to be hidden from us because they are having that much intelligence to find out who is there friend and who is enemy. or may be there can be one more thing that they might have become rare and less in count day by day and may get vanish some day or may be vanished already. but the egyptian drawings, fishermans experiances , that bloop and that body wich was having tail with bones cant be wrong.. i would like to know more about this research .i hope you guys will not give up and continue the research and prove it with more evidences.i am sure you will definately get success one day. mermaids cant be more smarter than us to be hidden for so long. why dont you try the same thing which u did at the last part of the film, play the bloop in sea and try to record them. please dont give up i will wait for mermaid part II.

[Jeesica]

Everyone keeps saying that this is fictional, and unreal. I am not saying that I disagree but the ocean takes over half of our land and we only know 5% of the animals that live in the ocean. Is it that out of the question to say that there are mermaids? There are so many species out there and we never really know. Some of it seems unreal but it could be. They might not be what Disney made them out to be but They may have the same parts and features as us, like they show in this video. I believe in a lot of things, and I do believe there is something out there that has our features. Something that is our ancestor.

[sam johnson]

For a minute, I almost got brain wash. I love Animal Planet, but after watching this show, I have to question whether they have been truthful. This was convincing. It felt like I was watching a movie. But does it have any truth in it?
Misleading information can create a lot of confusion.
All the truth I have ever read was in the Bible and after watching this show about mermaids, I almost trade Truth for lies. This was a well written story, written from the best, probably education college professors. As English major, this was a well written story, just like this type of movie. It is like reading from someone’s novel.
In order for the government to conceal, if they are involved, they must find a way to get your attention off the important matter. If they was creating something that bring destruction to human kind and maybe, they were very close in getting caught, this would be the best distraction, “Mermaids.
There are things that our mind will not understand. There are spiritual things that many will not understand. If this was a true case, mermaids will be some demonic creatures. The Bible mention that angels were able to interact with people and some had intercourse with mankind. At the moment, mermaids are just a demonic creation, created for evil and it should be left alone.

[Ruben Alvarado]

Africa tribe knows about aquatic people.

[Ruben Alvarado]

Africa tribe knows aquatic people.

[mandy]

i may not believe in many things in this world but i do believe in evolution, the proof is all around us. we all know to the goverment officials this would be classified information. not one of us was here 100 million years ago so none of us can say what was around. the world holds many secrets. i'm open minded. if they do exsist i understand why they hide from humans.

[jake]

mystery should not be revealed this can cause destruction.... Really its true

[priyanka]

is it real or fake one

[hungryforpuffs]

i think they are actually letting us know to wake up! to realize that the tv is feeding us lies and that they can do it THAT EASILY. theyre helping us realize that.

[TNFrog]

That was quite possibly the dumbest broadcast in the 84 years of television.

While the U. S. Navy does use CBASS (Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System) and ADCAP (Advanced Capability) active sonar in their Mk48 torpedoes that may injure some marine mammals... they aren't involved is some mass Worldwide mermaid coverup.

Obviously this is the work of USSOCOM, JSOC and the CIA's SAD group in cahoots with the Illuminati who have in their possession Nikola Tesla's HAARP technology! They are systematically eliminating all of the super-intelligent oceanic mammals that were accidentally produced by the Philadelphia Experiment, Project Rainbow and matter transmission technology. The mermaid ruse is simply a cover story to hide the real truth!

Next month, how about a series profiling the reality that the British Royal Family are all actually reptilian alien shape-shifters with Worldwide subterranean armies simply waiting to take over the planet and create the New World Order?

NOTE to Marjorie Kaplan:
Please keep up this type of programming at APM/DC!!! My NatGeo stock just split and is skyrocketing after the first broadcast of Mermaids: The Body Found. You'll make me a millionaire by the end of the month while you drive APM straight into the ground. THANKS!

[Gaetano Fida]

Well, here is another reason to dump DTV!!