Venice has been delighted with a recent visitor: an acrobatic wild dolphin. The feeling seems to be mutual – so far he refuses to leave – but proximity to humans has put him in danger.
The nicknamed dolphin Mimmo He has been delighting tourists and Venetians for months with his acrobatic somersaults. Now experts are eager to move it to open waters, especially after finding that the injuries indicated that the dolphin had probably been hit by a boat propeller.
On Saturday, several agencies used low-intensity acoustic devices to direct Mimmo away from busy San Marcos Bay, and it worked briefly. But the dolphin returned after an hour, as experts feared.
“It is very worrying because it is a hot spot with a lot of boat traffic”said Guido Pietroluongo, a veterinarian with the University of Padua’s stranded dolphin, whale and porpoise emergency response team, known by the acronym CERT.
St. Mark’s Basin, the shallow expanse of water in front of St. Mark’s Square that connects to the Giudecca and Grand Canals, is heavily traveled by ferries, vaporetti, water taxis and private boats.
During the botched operation, experts confirmed that Mimmo had suffered superficial injuries, probably caused by a boat propeller, Pietroluongo said. It was the first time they had observed injuries on the dolphin, and its wounds are expected to heal completely. But experts are concerned about its continued safety so close to human activity.
According to Pietroluongo, they do not plan to take immediate action and hope that the colder temperatures of the season will attract him and his prey out of the lagoon and towards warmer waters.
Mimmo’s arrival in the Venetian lagoon was recorded on July 23 and, according to experts, the coastal creature probably followed a school of fish into brackish waters separated from the open sea by barrier islands. Mimmo’s nickname is due to the sailing instructor who first saw him off the fishing town of Chioggia, on the Venetian lagoon.
Mimmo follows the pattern of so-called “social loners,” usually young male dolphins who separate from the pod for feeding or social reasons and then come into contact with the human world, explained Sandro Mazzariol, CERT veterinarian.
“About 100 cases have been documented around the world in which these animals are absolutely calm and remain healthy despite not interacting with their conspecifics”says Mazzariol in a video posted on Facebook.
Dolphin sightings in Venice are rare, but not unheard of, says Mazzariol.
The most recent incident involved a pair of striped dolphins spotted in February 2021 that were quickly guided back to open sea with acoustic devices. They never returned.
Mimmo has been closely monitored during his stay in the lagoon, and is reported to be in good health and nutrition, being fed a diet worthy of any Venetian tourist: mullet, sea bass and sea bream. His behavior has also been considered normal, including his playful cartwheels.
The University of Padua team has been going out weekly to monitor the animal, and they receive regular updates from citizens sharing sightings, including photos and videos.
Authorities warn citizens and boaters not to feed the dolphin or interact with it, which constitutes a crime. Dolphins are protected by Italian, community and international legislation. But the fact that Mimmo’s fame is spreading is part of the problem.
“The dolphin has become an attraction. Boats that stop to watch it can stress the animal,” says Pietroluongo.