Jellyfish spotted swimming in newly deserted Venice canal

A zoologist captured a mesmerising video of a jellyfish swimming through the reflective Venetian canals that have been left “crystal clear” during lockdown.

Andrea Mangoni, who works in Venice, told Reuters on Tuesday that increased water transparency had made it possible to observe marine life directly in the city centre due to low tide as well as reduced traffic from coronavirus lockdown across Italy – a positive environmental side effect of the pandemic.

"I was able to film a jellyfish that was swimming close to the San Marco square, only a few inches below the water surface," he said.

The species seen in the video – the rhizostoma pulmo, or barrel jellyfish – is common in the upper Adriatic Sea and could enter the Venetian canals through tidal flows that connect the upper Adriatic to the lagoon, Attilio Rinaldi, an adjunct professor at Italy's University of Bologna, told Reuters.

“The world seems better off without us in it,” one social media user said in response to the video.

Another said, “Thanks to Covid19, the natural habitats get their chance to see clearer and breathe easier,” referencing a trend of animals around the world benefiting from drops in tourism.