Why a beloved dolphin nicknamed Mimmo could now be in danger

Mimmo is a regular presence in the waters off Venice’s St Mark’s Square

A wild dolphin, christened 'Mimmo' by local media, has become a regular, albeit concerning, presence in the waters off Venice's St. Mark's Square.

While captivating tourists, its safety is now a worry amidst the heavy marine traffic.

Dolphins are rare in the UNESCO World Heritage lagoon, with two previously sighted in March 2021 when Covid-19 restrictions reduced boat activity.

Mimmo, believed to have entered the lagoon in late June, has been dodging the water buses, taxis, and gondolas in the busy St. Mark's Basin area since last month, according to marine biologist Luca Mizzan, head of Venice's Natural History Museum.

The dolphin, nicknamed Mimmo, has delighted tourists in Venice - but is now in danger due to heavy marine traffic (Supplied)

Unusually, the dolphin remains near St. Mark's even when it has fed and appears unfazed by the noise of the boats and crowds, Mizzan told RAI public television.

Experts are concerned that Mimmo could get injured by a boat propeller and are monitoring its movements, but are uncertain how to encourage the dolphin to leave the area, he said.

The approach of winter, which normally drives away fish, may make the lagoon less attractive for Mimmo and encourage it to return to the open sea, Mizzan said, adding there was no way to force it away.

"This animal seems really sure of what it wants to do... It is perfectly capable of going out to sea, but even if we were to escort it, it could come back within a couple of hours."