A wild dolphin, affectionately called “Mimmo” by local media, has become a familiar sight in the waters near Venice’s St. Mark’s Square, enchanting tourists while sparking concern among marine experts. Dolphins are rarely seen in the Venetian lagoon, though a pair were spotted in March 2021 during the Covid-19 lockdown, when boat traffic had sharply declined.

According to Luca Mizzan, marine biologist and director of Venice’s Natural History Museum, Mimmo likely entered the lagoon in late June and has since been swimming through the busy St. Mark’s Basin, skillfully avoiding gondolas, water taxis, and vaporetti (water buses). Despite the constant noise and heavy marine activity, the dolphin appears calm and unfazed, even lingering in the area after feeding—an unusual behavior for its kind.

Experts, however, worry about Mimmo’s safety. The dense traffic of boats poses a real risk of injury from propellers, prompting marine teams to monitor the dolphin closely. Mizzan explained that while they are keeping track of its movements, there is currently no effective way to encourage the animal to return to the open sea.

He added that the approach of winter could help resolve the situation naturally, as the decline in fish populations may make the lagoon less appealing to Mimmo. “This animal seems very sure of what it’s doing,” Mizzan said. “It’s perfectly capable of going back to sea—but even if we guided it out, it might return within hours.”