Mermaid hoax makes a splash for Animal Planet

Animal Planet played a huge joke on its viewers, and it paid off in spades.

The creatures and critters channel aired "Mermaids: The New Evidence," a mockumentary, last Sunday and grabbed a network record 3.6 million viewers.

"Mermaids: The New Evidence" is a follow up to last year's "Mermaids: The Body Found," complete with scientists (played by actors, of course) and a related website that says it has been "seized" by the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice.

The only dead giveaway, other than, of course, that mermaids really don't exist, was a disclaimer in the closing credits.

(The previous record for most viewers at Animal Planet belonged to another fantasy creature: "Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real.)

But if Twitter traffic is to be believed, Animal Planet's joke nabbed more than a few new believers.

Best evidence ever doubters!!! Of #MERMAIDS picture from "the new evidence found" from the 19th century!! twitter.com/ImTheRealTito/…

— Ricardo Mendoza (@ImTheRealTito) May 27, 2013

What else is the government hiding from us if they're hiding the fact that #mermaids are real...

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— Kari Delemarre Brand (@KariBrand) May 28, 2013

Yep. I'm convinced. #mermaids are real.

— Caroline Richardson (@c_line23) May 30, 2013

So totally real #mermaids

— Lexi Vicenzi ☺ (@lexvicenzi) May 30, 2013

What's so convincing is the consistency....in all of the images and videos we've seen they look the same #mermaids

— Silent Bob (@C_Errrr) May 27, 2013