In Venice aquatic animals return to canals as coronavirus forces human lockdown

Novel coronavirus is tightening its grip worldwide, the latest hotspot is Italy where more than 35,000 positive cases have been identified and death toll has hit 3,000. As Italy struggles to keep up with the impending COVID-19 coronavirus doom, it looks like nature is hitting back the balance it was longing for. 

The country is under lockdown as people are self-isolating themselves to prevent the spread. This has given nature a breather as tourist destinations like Venice are showing positive signs of blooming wildlife in the city.

Venice blooms with wildlife like never before

Several people have spotted an increase in aquatic wildlife in the canals of Venice which highlights the impact of human activities earlier when things were normal.

The water has cleared up and there are noticeably more fishes in the waters and ducks are seen enjoying in the city’s fountains. Even dolphins which were a rare sighting in the canals are now spotted in the port of Cagliari. There are no boats or cruise ships to scare these animals which is a blessing in disguise.  

According to Venice’s mayor, “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.”

People on twitter have even shared pictures of boars in the middle of the town as streets have been deserted of human presence.

The air takes a breather

Not only the waters but the air quality has also improved in Italy as roads are devoid of any transportation. There has been drastic improvement in the quality of air and the skies look much clearer lately.

Other cities around the world hit hard by the infection have also noticed reduced levels of air pollution. This reveals that nature is hitting the reset button as human activities have shifted the balance undoubtedly.