[WATCH] Bottlenose dolphins spotted in Marsamxett amid COVID-19 calm

Bottlenosed dolphins have been spotted swimming in Marsamxett Harbour, as onlookers delighted at their unusual presence so close to shore.

A video shot on Saturday shows the dolphins swimming just metres away from shore, with the aquatic mammals taking advantage of the significant drop in activity due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) are a regular presence in Maltese waters, with their population in 2014 estimated to range from 79 to 224, with the lower figure considered more realistic.

READ ALSO | Malta’s bottlenose dolphin population estimated at 79

The species of dolphin inhabit warm and temperate seas and are found everywhere except for the Antarctic Circle and Arctic regions.

It is however unusual to see them swimming such a short distance from the shore, in a harbour which is usually much busier with sea traffic.

In the past months, as human economic activity has dropped drastically due to measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus, nature has appeared to return to areas where it had been absent for long periods.

From the skies of China to the canals of Venice, pollution levels have decreased, water bodies have cleared, and animals have come back to areas which they would normally avoid.