Mysterious ‘mermaid globster’ washes up in Papua New Guinea – and experts say it’s ‘anyone’s guess’ what it is

The mysterious creature – dubbed a ‘mermaid’ – caused a sensation when it washed up on a beach in Papua New Guinea last month.

Experts have puzzled over what it is, saying it’s “no one’s guess,” but the general consensus is that it is a type of marine animal.

Guesses ranged from whale and dolphin species, to a “sea cow” or even a shark.

However, no one can confirm from photos alone and DNA cannot confirm it one way or the other because locals have already buried the body.

Locals discovered the remains on Cimbri Island, a small volcanic island with a population of about 1,000 people in the Bismarck Sea in Papua New Guinea’s New Ireland province.

Strange: This mysterious creature – dubbed a ‘mermaid’ – caused a sensation when it washed up on a beach in Papua New Guinea last month.

Theories: Experts are confused about what it is, saying it’s “no one’s guess,” but the general consensus is that it’s a type of marine animal.

Known as a globster, it is an indeterminate organic mass that washes up on the shore of an ocean or other body of water.

It differs from a normal carcass on the beach because it is defined as something that is difficult to recognize by untrained observers, raising controversy about what it is.

Many lobsters are believed to be the remains of whales, sharks, or other marine creatures that have decomposed over time and taken on strange shapes due to rotting parts of the carcass.

The lobster that washed up on Cimpire Island – which was described as looking almost like a mermaid – was missing most of its head and huge chunks of flesh.

It is unclear its size or weight because the lobster has already been buried, according to a Facebook group called New Irish only.

“A strange mermaid-shaped dead sea creature washed ashore on Cimpire Island this morning,” the group wrote in a post dated September 20.

“Does anyone have an explanation for identifying this creature?”

This photo sparked a wave of speculation online, with some claiming it resembled a dugong, or “sea cow,” and others believing it was a shark.

“These look like dead sea cows from a long time ago,” Eric Hewitt, a researcher at the UK’s Whale and Dolphin Conservation charity, told MailOnline.

“He’ll be dead for weeks or more.”

What it could be: Guesses ranged from whale and dolphin species, to a “sea cow” or even a shark

The remains were discovered by locals on Cempere Island – a small volcanic island with a population of about 1,000 people in the Bismarck Sea in the province of New Ireland, according to a New Irelanders Only (NIO) Facebook post.

A grim discovery: The remains are what is known as a clubster – an unidentified organic mass that washes up on shore

The lobster that washed up on Cimpire Island (shown on the locator map) was missing most of its head and huge chunks of meat

He added: “Examination of the skull will verify identity, and more can be learned by taking DNA samples.” There is a possibility that it is a baby whale. That would be my second guess.

Jens Corey, chief scientist at the Pacific Whale Foundation in Hawaii, agreed that it might be a “sea cow”, which is common in the shallow waters near Simpire Island.

“My best guess is that it might be dugongs,” he said. Live sciences. “The amount of blubber also indicates a marine mammal and not a shark.”

The creature resembled a marine mammal, but “after that it’s anyone’s guess,” Helen Marsh, an ecologist at James Cook University in Australia, told Live Science.

Sascha Hawker, a marine mammal expert at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, said it appeared to be a “very decomposed cetacean”, like a whale or dolphin.

These creatures are known to turn white when their skin falls off.

If they are cetaceans, the most common species near Papua New Guinea are spinner dolphins, sperm whales, short-finned pilot whales, and tropical spotted dolphins.

Unfortunately, we will never get 100% confirmation of what it was, but one thing is for sure, there will likely be more of these mysterious “mermaid” creatures in the future.