By Globe News Report Staff
An Italian city is turning an ancient legend into a modern conservation project. Taranto, in southern Italy, has deep ties to dolphins going back thousands of years. Greek legend says the city was founded by Taras. He was rescued from a shipwreck by a dolphin sent by his father, the sea god Poseidon. Now Taranto is preparing to return the favor.
A New Kind of Sanctuary
The city is building the San Paolo Dolphin Refuge. It will be Europe’s first sea-based sanctuary for dolphins that once lived in captivity. Unlike a traditional aquarium, the refuge sits directly in the open sea near San Paolo Island. It covers about seven hectares of water. Monitoring buoys track water quality, air quality, and underwater noise levels. Underwater cameras and an AI system watch for problems. They alert researchers right away if something seems wrong.
Marine biologist Carmelo Fanizza created the project. He founded the Jonian Dolphin Conservation association. His team has spent nearly a decade preparing for the refuge. They recently received the final permits needed to open it.
Why the Dolphins Need a New Home
Many of the dolphins expected to move to the refuge currently live in aquariums in France. A new French law will ban dolphin and whale shows starting in December 2026. Conservation groups have welcomed the ban. But it also creates a new challenge. Someone has to find a place for the displaced animals to go.
Fanizza said releasing these dolphins straight into the wild isn’t realistic. Many have spent their whole lives in concrete tanks. Instead, the refuge offers a middle ground. It’s a natural sea environment where dolphins can experience real ocean conditions. That includes contact with the sea floor and marine life. At the same time, they’ll still receive care from veterinarians and researchers.
The refuge will start small. Fanizza said the project will begin as a pilot. It will host just a small family group of dolphins at first. The goal is to learn the best way to care for them in this kind of setting before expanding further.
Part of a Bigger Story for the City
The refuge itself isn’t open to the public. Visitors can still learn about it at Kètos, a nearby research and observation center in Taranto’s old town. The center includes a viewing room, laboratories, and a library focused on marine life.
The project also reflects a bigger shift for Taranto. The city was long associated with heavy industry, especially a large steelworks that shaped its economy for decades. In recent years, Taranto has worked to reduce that industrial footprint. It’s now positioning itself as a destination for tourism and marine research. Researchers say they’ve studied the surrounding waters for years. They’re confident nearby industrial activity won’t harm the dolphins’ new home.
Sources: CNN and ABC