Fiji Mermaid
Field Report
The Fiji Mermaid became one of the most famous hoaxes of the 19th century, first exhibited by P.T. Barnum in the 1840s. Marketed as a genuine half-fish, half-woman creature caught near the Fiji Islands, it turned out to be a grotesque taxidermy creation—a monkey torso sewn onto a fish tail. Despite its obvious fakery under close examination, it captivated audiences hungry for proof of mermaids and the unknown. Even after the original was lost, replicas continued to tour sideshows across Europe and America. The Fiji Mermaid highlights the human craving for wonders that defy natural order, showing how easily spectacle can overshadow truth. Today it stands as a darkly comical footnote in cryptid lore, blurring lines between myth, curiosity, and outright fraud.
Classification
Type:Other (Taxidermy Hoax)
Location:Fiji, Viti Levu, Suva
Traits:Monkey torso, fishtail, small teeth, clawed hands, grimacing
Threat Assessment
Danger Level: 1
First Reported: 1820s
Sightings: 6
Reveal Full Dossier
Behavioral Patterns
It rests limp on river rocks, appearing lifeless until touched. Then it writhes briefly before going still again, unsettling all who see it.
Folklore & Origins
19th-century sideshow barkers spun this as proof of sirens caught by Polynesian fishermen.
Media Documentation
Covered extensively in historical circus fraud exposés and museum exhibits on hoaxes. Appears in popular media as a cautionary tale of 19th-century showmanship. Never treated as a cryptid with any legitimacy.
Hoax Analysis
Fiji Mermaid was a famous 19th-century hoax involving a taxidermy creation combining a monkey’s torso and a fish tail. It was exhibited as a real mermaid but later exposed as a fabricated curiosity.