Dolphinaris, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a NEW Swim-With-Dolphins Facility, and we don’t need dolphins in the desert

Dolphin Project, together with passionate local grassroots activists, has launched a billboard campaign in three Scottsdale area malls to raise public awareness about captivity and Dolphinaris. The billboards are on display for three months.

“It is the local grassroots efforts here that are lighting a fire under a wave of discontent that is reflective of a growing global aversion to these captive programs. Every individual truly can make a difference, and the power is within each of us to choose whether to patronize such facilities.” Courtney, Local Campaigner

Anti-captivity billboards on display at Scottsdale malls.

What’s Wrong with Dolphins in the Desert?

Even though these dolphins were born in captivity, they have been sold, shipped, and treated as objects their entire lives.
Dolphins are very socially complex creatures who live in family units. They speak different dialogues, and different families often cannot communicate with each other. The Arizona dolphins come from different families.
Forcing dolphins to interact with human guests places extraordinary stress on captive dolphins. Many are on antidepressants, ulcer medication, and exhibit stress behaviors such as chewing on their tank walls or gates or attacking one another.
Many captive dolphins die prematurely due to illness or stress-related disorders.
Others develop sunburns because they cannot dive below the surface in their tanks, or have persistent open wounds and abrasions as a result of the encounters.
All the behaviors the dolphins perform are unnatural; they are trained into submission through food deprivation techniques, kept hungry so they will perform on demand for the paying public.

Dolphins are fascinating, intelligent and charismatic creatures. We understand that many people would like to see them up close. However, forcing dolphins to live in captivity for our own enjoyment is inhumane. Please do not support Dolphinaris, or its partner company, Odysea.

The dolphin show only serves to perpetuate our utilitarian perception of nature. It’s a form of BAD education.” ~ Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director of Dolphin Project