While a tourist was enjoying an ice cream in St. Mark's Square in Venice, a seagull flew quickly and snatched it from his hand. The scene was fun for the people nearby, but the association of hoteliers in Venice is concerned that birds have become increasingly problematic for tourists.
The association is drawing up a plan to avoid "aggressive and annoying" seagulls, the Guardian reports. However, some hotels are already operating by equipping customers with water pistols to scare off "robber" birds.
"The large number of seagulls, in addition to being an aggressive and annoying presence for humans, poses a problem for health and hygiene, as well as for buildings and the environment," said Francesco Boemo, a hygiene and environmental expert who coordinated the workshop. "They are, in fact, a protected species and cannot be eliminated, as is the case, for example, with rats."
Solutions discussed include hiring a hunter to hunt seagulls or to deter them with a special acoustic system or unpleasant odors (which cannot be perceived by human beings).
"As soon as the guests get up, maybe to go to the cupboard, the seagulls jump on the food and take it," said a hotelier, according to the seminar minutes. "We are forced to constantly intervene to change the tablecloths, plates and glasses, which often break. "Some customers laugh at them, but others get angry."
Some hotels had hired hunters, but their daily work was costly. And so two hotels, Gritti Palace and Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal have provided guests with water pistols - all orange - as seagulls do not like color.
"Once they see the pistols, they fly away," Paolo Lorenzini of the Gritti Palace told the Italian press (via the Guardian). "You don't even have to use them, you just have to keep them on the table."
