This article was originally published under the incorrect headline “Fish, Swans, And Dolphins Return To Venice, Italy During the Lockdown”. The moment we understood the information was not entirely accurate, we immediately corrected the facts that were false or unclear. We extend our sincerest apologies, and we promise we will endeavor to be more precise from now on.
As it turns out, just like anything else in life, the massive lockdown due to coronavirus has unexpected benefits.
A positive twist to the current situation amazed the whole world.
As a result of the increasing number of people infected with the virus in Italy, the whole country has been placed in isolation.
At the moment, things appear to be at a standstill. However, the lockdown may have a positive outcome not only for the population of Italy but also for its environment.
Boars in the middle of my hometown, dolphins in the port of Cagliari, ducks in the fountains in Rome, Venice canals have now clean water full of fishes. Air pollution dropped. Nature is reclaiming its spaces during quarantine in Italy. #COVID19 #COVIDー19 pic.twitter.com/dr6QILfF9V
— Francesco Delrio (@Cosodelirante) March 15, 2020
People are taking the social distance extremely serious, and they are strictly following the experts’ advice to stay home until the danger ends.
They are taking every precaution possible to stop the spread of infection. The social isolation turned out to be highly beneficial for Italy’s ecosystem.
Venice, one of Europe’s most desired tourist destinations, is amongst the many places where the quality of air and water has drastically improved since the beginning of the lockdown. Locals have noticed how the city’s canals, that are usually filled with boats, gondolas, and hundreds of tourists, are not only empty, but the water in them is clearer than ever. They can even see the small fish swimming around.
Since the whole country has been put under strict isolation, the streets and the canals are completely deserted.
A viral tweet showed wonderful pictures of the clear waters and the little fish swimming in it.
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
Both of the images of the canal are allegedly taken in Venice. However, the photographs showing swans were taken near the in the canals of Burano, a small province in the Venetian Lagoon, which the animals had never left.
Posted by Marco Contessa on Monday, March 9, 2020
A spokesman of the Venice’s mayor’s office told CNN:
“The water now looks clearer because there is less traffic on the canals, allowing the sediment to stay at the bottom. It’s because there is less boat traffic that usually brings sediment to the top of the water’s surface.”
Posted by Marco Contessa on Monday, March 9, 2020
Moreover, satellite images show a serious decline in Italy’s air pollution levels during the quarantine. Claus Zehner, a Copernicus Sentinel-5P mission manager at the European Space Agency(ESA), comments:
“Although there could be slight variations in the data due to cloud cover and changing weather, we are very confident that the reduction in emissions that we can see, coincides with the lockdown in Italy causing less traffic and industrial activities.”
Luckily, locals were quick to notice the outstanding changes in Italy’s environment. And with the help of the Internet, the rest of the world can witness this amazing phenomenon.
Posted by Marco Capovilla on Sunday, March 15, 2020
Hopefully, when the lockdown is over, we will learn how to appreciate and take care of the ecosphere around us. Nature always has its ways.
