Perhaps intent on seeing the city’s famous Leaning Tower, a bottlenose dolphin has been spotted swimming in the Arno river, traveling as far as the city center, 9 km from the river’s mouth.
The marine mammal was first spotted in the river on New Year’s Eve. After a few sightings, authorities concluded that the dolphin was coming into the river occasionally to feed on grey mullet. But as the sightings continued, it became clear that the dolphin was spending most, or all, of its time in the river.
Its visits to the city center involve swimming under 8 bridges, where car noises would be expected to turn it away, but it doesn’t seem to care. It’s now spent more than a month in the river. Low water levels at this season make the river saltier than usual, perhaps making it feel even more at home.
After monitoring the dolphin, city authorities pronounced it in good health, and asked residents to keep a 100-meter distance from it, and not to feed or touch it.
