The pandemic seems to be healing nature, seeing whales and dolphins in the Adriatic

As images of whales and dolphins in the Adriatic become viral on the Internet, one expert says it is true that nature is recovering during the pandemic, as traffic has been drastically reduced.

Recent images of whales and dolphins swimming in the Adriatic Sea have become viral on social networks, prompting suggestions that nature “has at last found some peace” during COVID-19, which has greatly reduced maritime traffic.

Hrvoje Cizmek, marine biologist from the company of Croatian sea explorers, “2000 League”, told BIRN that this theory is probably accurate, since marine mammals like dolphins and whales use sounds to communicate where large human traffic intervenes, which forces these mammals to avoid seas with traffic.

But he said the whales appear in the Adriatic anyway. “As far as this current situation is concerned, especially with the big whale that was observed a few days ago and perhaps still somewhere in the Adriatic Sea, this is a normal phenomenon at this time of”, Cizmek said, explaining that the Mediterranean is home to a population of whales, some of which come to the Adriatic in April or May to feed on plankne.

One was seen in the waters of the Croatian island of Solta. The waters at Marjan Park in the Split area were already visited by eight dolphins Sunday, which also pleased social networking users. Cizmek says that these attractive mammals are now seen much closer to the earth than usual.

Now people can see more dolphins. We receive reports that dolphins can often be seen from balconies of several beach houses, with views from the sea, bays and some channels”, he said.

In this pandemic period, some good things are happening. He said. These good things have nothing to do with humans, but mostly with nature. Much is said about reducing the amount of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere”, the biologist noted. The sea Traffic has fallen, people are floating much less during the last period, or they haven't been out at sea at all, so something's happening. ”

He also said the sea is cleaner on the other side of the Adriatic, near Venice, Italy, which was hit hard by the epidemic and where the movement remains very limited.

“In Venice, water has been cleaned up a lot because local maritime traffic has been halted”, Cizmek said, while warning that a video famous with several dolphins “venian” swimming in the city's famous channels, which also caused a wave of positive reactions to social networks, was actually filmed elsewhere.

National Geographic explained this phenomenon of false postings by explaining that people want to share their posts and other emotional people, even if they are not true. When we feel stressed, happy animal images can be the best drug”, she noted.

Cizmek, however, believes that people can learn from this situation and become aware of the environment. “Natira finally took a bit of loose breath”, he said, adding that after all this is over, “we hope that together, people will start to value nature a little bit more:x3>.