Bearded mermen pose for 'dudeoir' calendar to raise money for a worthy cause

Behold the "Merb'ys"—a breed of Canadian bearded mermen flapping their fur and fins for a good cause.

The gentlemen of Newfoundland and Labrador Beard and Moustache Club are posing in nowt but their merman garb for a dudeoir-style calendar to raise money for mental health organisation Spirit Horse NL.

And, the photos certainly don't disappoint. The calendar—which can be previewed online—features bearded mermen posing in pumpkin patches, pubs, and on various beaches.

The Merb'ys are thus-named because "the Newfoundland mermen are a different breed," says Hasan Hai, founder of the beard and moustache club. Hai came up with the idea of a merman calendar after a friend of his posted a photo from a mercreature themed dudeoir shoot on his Facebook wall.

He decided to organise a calendar, and posted an "open call to the universe" on social media, which received an unexpectedly high response. 70 or 80 people got in touch with Hai, offering to model or photograph.

Hai knew he wanted to raise money for charity, but hadn't yet settled on a charity. When he came across Sprit Horse NL and heard the stories of the people they help, he suggested using the calendar to raise money for the organisation.

"It basically uses horses to provide equine therapy for people with mental illness, people who want to live better lives, people with physical limitation," Hai told CBC.

Donning a fin was a challenge for the men during the calendar shoots. "Moving around in a fishtail is not as easy as you would think," Hai continued, adding that there was "a lot of hopping" and squirming involved behind the scenes.

The calendar, which has received an overwhelming number of pre-orders, can be purchased online for $25 CAD ($19.70 USD, £14.99) from the Beard and Moustache Club website.

Major props to the Merb'ys of Newfoundland!