Off Albania’s Coast, a Forgotten Military Wreck Harbors Remarkable Wildlife and Signals an Ecological Alarm

The seafloor sometimes holds surprising metamorphoses. In Albania, the remains of the hospital ship Po now host a remarkable biodiversity. Yet this fortress of metal also attracts tropical predators that are particularly voracious. These recent observations illustrate the rapid transformation underway in the Adriatic Sea.

An Italian warship sunk in 1941 becomes a teeming underwater reef in Vlora Bay

During the Italo-Greek War, a British aircraft torpedoed the Italian ship Po on March 14, 1941. The vessel sank swiftly off the Albanian coast. Since that tragedy, the steel hull rests at a depth of thirty-five meters in the bay of Vlora.

Over the decades, nature has reclaimed the rusting metal. A study published in the journal Frontiers in Ocean Sustainability details this natural phenomenon. Thus, various colonies of sponges and algae now cover more than 80% of its metallic frame.

This industrial skeleton forms an artificial reef conducive to the development of a thriving ecosystem. Invertebrates readily attach themselves to it to create a solid habitat. Moreover, this underwater relief provides a perfect shelter for passing coastal fish.

The Mediterranean monk seal’s unexpected return confirms the protective role of the steel hull

Scientists have recorded at least twenty-eight species of fish around this wreck. Additionally, squids regularly exploit the walls to lay their eggs. This underwater nursery naturally attracts marine predators in search of easy prey.

In August 2023, a major discovery marked marine biologists during a dive. The team photographed a Mediterranean monk seal hiding in a crevice of the wreck. Yet, no one had confirmed the presence of this endangered mammal in this area since 1996.

The flying scorpionfish now colonizes these warmer waters more than a thousand kilometers from its native range

The refuge also attracts unwelcome visitors that worry environmental specialists. Between 2022 and 2024, researchers counted seven flying scorpionfish on the site. This invasive species historically lived in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

This venomous fish is advancing northward due to warming waters. The Po wreck lies about 1,300 kilometers from its usual range. These metallic hulls evidently facilitate this advance by serving as stepping stones for the invaders.

The marine biologist Simone Modugno warns about the rapid spread of this venomous predator. According to her, high salinity and marine heatwaves accelerate this invasion. Moreover, this sudden proliferation now threatens the local food chain within ten years.

These artificial sanctuaries disrupt ecosystem management in the face of accelerated marine metamorphosis

These scientific findings highlight the dual role of historic shipwrecks in the Adriatic Sea. On one hand, these structures protect vulnerable animals from industrial fishing. Yet they also provide perfect refuges for opportunistic tropical predators. This striking contrast now concerns biologists.

Hence, managers of the Karaburun-Sazan reserve are closely monitoring these data. Regular surveillance of these reefs will help anticipate future marine imbalances. Indeed, marine conservation demands constant vigilance in the face of climate-driven changes.