Humans not Mimmo the dolphin need managing in Venice lagoon, say scientists

"We present the case of one of the most charismatic animals in one of the most iconic cities: a solitary dolphin in Venice. The team's observations documented the animal's remarkable adaptation to an unusual context while highlighting the need to manage human behaviour to ensure its welfare."

"Bottlenoses are the most common species of dolphin in Italian waters and although they usually move around in pods, in recent years there have been several cases of solitary dolphins in the Adriatic who leave their pod and flock to coastal or urban areas."

"Mimmo was first seen by Manuel Tiffi, a water-taxi driver, on 23 June 2025. He told Corriere della Sera that the dolphin often swam right in front of the bow. Tiffi said water-taxi drivers reported sightings to warn people to be careful. But the animal seems to have no fear."

A bottlenose dolphin named Mimmo has been spotted repeatedly in the Venice lagoon since June 2025, attracting tourists and residents while prompting conservation concerns. Researchers from the University of Padova documented the dolphin's movements and behavior over several months, publishing findings in Frontiers in Ethology. The study reveals that Mimmo has remarkably adapted to the unusual urban environment despite the busy waterway's hazards. Scientists emphasize that managing human activity and boat traffic is essential for the dolphin's welfare rather than attempting to control the animal itself. Solitary dolphins occasionally leave their pods to inhabit coastal and urban areas, a pattern observed in recent years among Adriatic bottlenoses.

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