‘Even the dolphins are back’: Amid coronavirus lockdown, Venice counts the positives

"Even the dolphins are back at the shore in some parts of Italy because ferries and other boats no longer disturb them," tweeted a user while sharing a clip of the aquatic mammal.

coronavirus, Venice lockdown, venice lockdown lakes, clean canals venice, italy, italy lockdown, venice pics, china, coronavirus deaths

The post drew several comments from netizens with many pointing out that it was not just the swans but also the dolphins that are back. (Source: Twitter)

At a time when Italy has been under lockdown due to a rising number of coronavirus cases, which crossed 31,000 on Wednesday, the tourist hotspot of Venice is seeing a positive side effect amid the restrictions.

Since the lockdown was imposed last week, many people have taken to social media to share pictures of the city canals being filled with cleaner water and fishes swimming around. “Here’s an unexpected side effect of the pandemic – the water’s flowing through the canals of Venice is clear for the first time in forever. The fish are visible, the swans returned,” tweeted a user @ikaveri while sharing several pictures.

Here’s an unexpected side effect of the pandemic – the water’s flowing through the canals of Venice is clear for the first time in forever. The fish are visible, the swans returned. pic.twitter.com/2egMGhJs7f

— Kaveri 🇮🇳 (@ikaveri) March 16, 2020

✅ Acqua pulita a #Venezia con i pesci 🐠 che si tornano a vedere
✅ Un cigno 🦢 sul Naviglio a #Milano
✅ un delfino 🐬 nel porto di #Cagliari

Tornare a inquinare sarebbe un delitto: sfruttiamo questa scia per ripensare a come sviluppare la società in armonia con la natura pic.twitter.com/dH0PLqm4Q1

— Roberto Dupplicato (@duppli) March 16, 2020

The post drew several comments from netizens, with many pointing out that it was not just the swans but also the dolphins were back. “Even the dolphins are back at the shore in some parts of Italy because ferries and other boats no longer disturb them,” tweeted a user while sharing a clip.

Even the dolphins are back at the shore in some parts of Italy, because ferries and other boats no longer disturb them.https://t.co/b4dpmOPYPt

— Gigi ☯️ (@dergigi) March 17, 2020

The Venice mayor’s office said the change was not due to improved water quality but because of less traffic on the canals. “The water now looks clearer because there is less traffic on the canals, allowing the sediment to stay at the bottom,” a spokesman told CNN.

As the nationwide lockdown in Italy enters its second week due to the #coronavirus outbreak, Venice's canals appear to be crystal clear. Follow for live updates: https://t.co/IviOWyuNOu pic.twitter.com/yTyObHMZFX

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 17, 2020

The lockdown has also contributed to a noticeable drop in pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. “The air, however, is less polluted since there is less boat traffic than usual because of the restricted movement of residents,” the spokesperson said.