DATE: 07/12/13 TIME: 2 PM LOCATION: Ireland ID: 832 STATEMENT: 1296 We were in Ireland on a routine visit to a private residence known as O’Banain Hall. The owners had kept the property in their family for hundreds of years and were defended by a number of wealthy explorers. The estate was enormous with hundreds of acres of land hidden deep in the Irish hills. The gardens were beautifully manicured and had large interconnections ponds that spanned the property and even beneath the main house. We were here to inquire about the well-being of a very special resident, a freshwater Mermaid, also known in Ireland as a Merrow. Very little is known about the species as they are nearly extinct, but we know they are intelligent enough to learn basic forms of sign language. It was said that the owner's great grandfather caught her and transported her back to O’Banain Hall as a gift for his wife. She lives in the ponds that connect via catacombs under the property and seems to prefer women over men. We watched as the lady of the house called her by ringing a bell on the dock. ------------------------------------------ ASSET ANALYSIS: Fresh Water Mermaid (Merrow) THREAT LEVEL: 2 (DEFENSIVE) Merrow are an intelligent species that live in deep freshwater lakes across Ireland and parts of Scotland. They are now incredibly rare, thought to have been wiped out due to overfishing. Though they have striking human-like features, their biology is closer to that of a lungfish, which have the ability to breathe in both water and air. Their appearance is still a mystery however some have theorized this mimicry was either used for hunting (as seen in the predatory nature of ocean-dwelling Merfolk) or as a defense to avoid being hunted. They are less dangerous than their saltwater cousins and tend to have an omnivorous diet, mainly eating freshwater plants and the occasional fish. They have a shy nature but have been known to befriend young women or children and have been seen to bring them presents.