TEL AVIV, August 12 (RIA Novosti) - An Israeli town has offered a $1 million reward to anyone who can prove the existence of a mermaid said to live in nearby coastal waters, the Jerusalem Post reported on Wednesday.
The offer was made after locals and visitors to Kiryat Yam, just north of the city of Haifa, reported seeing a strange creature swimming in the sea.
"Many people are telling us they are sure they've seen a mermaid and they are all independent of each other," council spokesman Natti Zilberman was quoted as saying by Sky News. "People say it is half girl, half fish, jumping like a dolphin. It does all kinds of tricks, then disappears," he said.
Zilberman also said the creature was not thought to be a dolphin or a large fish, adding that people say "it is a female figure, and it looks like a young girl."
Capturing the creature is not necessary to obtain the reward, he said. A good quality photo is sufficient.
The announcement has led to tourists and locals patrolling the coast of the town with cameras, all hoping to snap a photo that will net them the reward.
