A biologist captured a video of a jellyfish gracefully gliding through the newly clear canals of Venice, Italy, undisturbed by traffic or human presence. In a video shared with Reuters, Andrea Mangoni films the jellyfish right around St. Mark’s Square, which is known to be a bustling mecca for tourism and heavy gondola traffic. The current low tide and the decrease in sediment due to the quarantine lockdown have contributed to the transparent appearance of the water in the canals, where the once-hidden marine life can now easily be seen.
Photo: andrea.mangoni/Instagram
Jellyfish Filmed Gliding Through the Amazingly Clear Canals of Venice
The species in the video is the Rhizostoma pulmo that is common for the upper Adriatic, explained Attilio Rinaldi, an adjunct professor from the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Bologna. According to the mayor of the city, “The water now looks clearer because there is less traffic on the canals, allowing the sediment to stay at the bottom.”
While Italy remains under lockdown, marine creatures seem to be catching a break and once again experiencing unobstructed freedom of movement. 