Researchers say solitary bottlenose has adapted well to city waters, but tighter controls on boat traffic and human behaviour are needed
Italian scientists monitoring the movements of a dolphin in the Venice lagoon have said humans are the ones who need managing, rather than wildlife.
Known as Mimmo, the bottlenose dolphin has been spotted on several occasions since it made its first appearance in June last year, prompting a research team from the University of Padova to spring into action.
While the animal has delighted tourists and residents with its acrobatic leaps, animal and environmental activists began a “save Mimmo” campaign amid fears it could be killed by the propellers of boats that crisscross the busy lagoon.
The scientists have now published a study in the journal Frontiers in Ethology, outlining their monitoring activities and the dolphin’s movements over several months.
