Mermaids are half-human, half-fish, and all sea monster. They hunt sailors and scuba divers who fall for their traps or get lost. Mermaids also hunt in groups, so it’s more than just one you have to watch for. Get more after the jump.

Mermaid Background

Off the coast, mermaids sit and wait for their prey. Many ships, sailors and scuba divers have encountered a strange species of sea creatures. They look like half-human, half-fish beings, but they are monsters through-and-through.

Mermaids can be found in any ocean or sea with a substantial human population. You see, mermaids may eat fish and other aquatic life, but their favorite food is humans. Mermaids like our tender flesh and sweet, warm blood. It keeps them warm in those deep, murky waters.

The Mermaid Trap

In older times, mermaids would reside by the openings of bays or small islands along rocky coasts. As ships would pass, they’d flail and beg for help from passing ships. As the sailors pull near, the captain would send a small boat or have someone swim over to the mermaid. It and its school would then grab the unsuspecting victim and pull him into the depths. As they dive deeper and deeper, the mermaids sink their claws into the victim’s flesh and attach their suckerfish mouths to him.

And start eating his flesh and gorging on his blood while he drowns.

Today, it’s mainly snorklers and scuba divers who die at the hands of mermaids. While they explore the coastline, the mermaid school will circle them and one will launch itself at the victim. Many authorities believe a shark may have attacked. When in reality, it’s a group of 6-10 mermaids out hunting. As for scuba divers, the mermaids will grab their feet to immobilize them. Then, they slash the divers air hose or crush their oxygen tanks and wait while their prey drowns.

Mermaid Deception

Mermaids can change their appearance. When humans first encounter them, they may look like a half-naked, young lady. But this doesn’t last long. As she pounces on her victim, she’ll return to her real visage.

Survivors have said the mermaid has the following characteristics:

• Black, saucer-shaped eyes like a shark
• Gray, smooth skin also similar to a shark’s underbelly
• Webbed hands
• Black, hook-like claws that extend 4-to-6 inches
• A mouth similar to a sea lamprey

If you’re curious, the mermaid maintains its scaly fish tail.

Abilities & Weaknesses

Mermaids abilities and weaknesses reflect their strange balance between their aquatic nature and humanoid appearance.

Abilities

• Aforementioned shape-shifting ability
• Amphibious
• Can withstand the crushing pressure of the ocean
• Can see in the murky depths
• Smell blood in water up to 3 miles away
• Cut through small ship hulls using their claws
• Swim as fast as a Great White Shark
• Secrete a neurotoxin to paralyze their prey
• Generate an electric shock to stun prey
• Thick hide protects against small gunfire and knife attack
• Communicate through sonar to other mermaids

Weaknesses

• While dehydrate if out of water for over 4 hours
• Need salt water to function normally
• Overly vulnerable to pollution, especially petroleum
• If starving, mermaids will go into a frenzy and attack each other

What to Do if You Encounter a Mermaid

This is a tough one to offer advice on: Not many people get attacked by mermaids. Many of them have died off from starvation and pollution in the oceans.

But that just makes them even deadlier. They have to kill fast and then leave before notice.

Probably the best thing you can do is go in the water prepared. Have a spear gun handy. Wear some kind of armor to can protect from shark-like attacks. Use a submersible to avoid contact.

Mermaids attack with speed and their ability to paralyze their victims. If you can avoid getting too close, you got a shot. But that’s just for one mermaid: They hunt in a school.

And that doesn’t look so good for you.