Most folks who picture a mermaid commonly think of the bright bubbly depiction pushed forth by Disney, but to the Inuit people a mermaid can spell doom for their children.

For centuries, elusive sightings of Qalupalik, a mysterious sea monster of Inuit legend, have been reported around the Arctic Ocean.

In Inuit mythology, like many creatures from folklore, Qualupalik serves a utilitarian purpose in the harsh environment of what is now Northern Alaska and Canada