Are There Dolphins In Venice Italy?
Probably not, as some of the circulated photos are from Sardinia Italy (around 750km away from Venice) and it is confirmed as incorrect hype in social media. Water in the canals of Venice has been clearer though.
Some claimed that dolphins were spotted in southern Italy, swimming in clearer water. Nowadays, canals in Venice are clearer than ever before. It happens because of the measures taken against coronavirus.
The governments of all the countries are urging their populations to self-isolate, and stop all the non-essential activities. They are requesting to stop non-essential travel abroad, so all the tourist places in Venice are seeing hardly any visitors. So, in Venice, the needs of boats for transportation are reduced, so the running canals are clean, beautiful, and clear.
Why the Water in Canals of Venice Look Clear?
A big reason for more transparent water in the canals is the self-isolation. People are asked to keep social distance, and less traffic is observed on the canals. It is helping sediments to stay at the bottom. A spokesperson of the Venice mayoral office said that it is because of less boat traffic. Boat traffic was the reason to bring sediment to the top surface of the water. Water in the canals is not in better condition; in fact, it is less churned up. So, this clarity of the water is attracting more creatures in water than usual.
Swans and dolphins have been found paddling and swimming in the canals. The water in the Venice canals hasn’t been that clear for a long time. Dolphins were spotted swimming around in Cagliari port. However, the actual quality of water in Venice isn’t right. The spokesperson also reported that, because there is less boat traffic than usual so the air is also less polluted. Everything is good because of the restricted movement of the residents. Since people in Venice are finding self-isolation as a difficult job, but it’s time to breathe in the fresh air and capture the scenes of clear water with dolphins swimming around.
Why Dolphins Appear in the Canals?
As Italy is battling to control the COVID-19 pandemic, residents have seen a noticeable change in the quality of famous canals of the city. This shutdown has resulted in empty streets, and businesses are on edge. At the same time, the reduction in water traffic has reduced the amount of sediment in canals. The canals in Venice are running clear for the first time, and marine life is visible in the murky water.
A significant reduction has been seen in waste coming from the lagoon and settling in the canals. People have stopped disturbing other species, so they have found space. Lots of pictures and videos have been shared on social media claiming that only fish and swans are found in the canals. But the reality is dolphins also appear in the Venice canals.
Lots of footage has shown that dolphins were swimming alongside in a port. People have shared videos on YouTube with the title that “During the lockdown, fishes and dolphins have been seen in the Venice canals.” But the dolphins were seen in the port of Cagliari in Sardinia that is probably 750km away from Venice. The Italian News Agency also shares lots of footage of dolphins in Cagliari.
Dolphins in the Italian ports are frequently increasing, but the dolphins were seen in the San Marco Basin three years ago. One thing is for sure that, when the disturbance is reduced, it facilitates the entry of animals into the city. The favorable weather conditions and an increase in oxygen levels have an impact on the lagoon around Venice. The images of canals nowadays are the perfect example of what people want to see. The people have shared lots of pictures on social media about the improved conditions of canals in Venice. The attack of Coronavirus has a surprisingly positive effect on the marine life around the city. However, the videos that are viral on social media don’t show dolphins swimming in the canals.
Effects of COVID-19 on Marine Life
Italy has been hit badly by COVID-19. The country is busy dealing with rising death tolls, and the national lockdown results in relief for marine life. People have shared a lot on social media by saying that water in canals has become clear, and it is helping wildlife to get back to the city. So the swans and dolphins are making their entry to uncrowded Venetian canals. However, there is some ambiguity about the dolphins. Some are saying that dolphins were swimming in the canals of Venice, but the truth is footage and videos are off the coast of Sardinia. Dolphins in this area are not new phenomena. Dolphins were seen in this area in 2017 as well.
Swans’ sighting in Venice was real but wasn’t described accurately. Swans regularly appear in the canals of Burano. National Geographic reported that swans were spotted in the small island located in the greater metropolitan area.
Effects of COVID-19 on Water
Lots of posts have been shared about the water of canals. People are saying that water seen in the images have been transparent because it was cleaner. People are considering it because of less human activity on waterways. However, it isn’t the case. A BBC expert said that water was more transparent, not the cleaner. Due to lockdown in the country, there is a significant reduction in boat traffic and visitors, which makes water murkier.
Conclusion
So, the question was; “Are there dolphins in Venice, Italy?” and the answer is no. The image shared on social media is off the coast of Sardinia. However, we can’t deny the fact that COVID-19 has brought relief for marine life. Due to lockdown, a significant boat traffic reduction has been seen in Venice’s canals. It results in making canals water clear and transparent. Swans and fishes start to swim in the canals. Solid reduction in canals is proven to be good for marine life. Posts about dolphins that are viral on social media are taken from the coasts of Sardinia. However, lots of wildlife animals are seen in the canals of Venice.
