Alexis Egeland

The Republic | azcentral.com

Protesters gathered Saturday evening to oppose the opening of a new Valley attraction: Dolphinaris.

The "swim with the dolphins" facility is scheduled to open later this summer or early this fall on the Salt River Reservation near Scottsdale. But it has sparked opposition from Valley residents and activists worldwide.

The Mexico-based company Ventura Entertainment, which owns five "dolphinariums" and other attractions across Mexico, is opening the facility, the first of its kind in the United States. Visitors will be able to swim with dolphins that were born into captivity, according to the company's website.

But Dolphin Free AZ, a grassroots group, does not approve. They believe it is cruel to bring these ocean animals into captivity in the desert as an entertainment attraction. Saturday, they gathered to carry signs opposing the venue.

"Dolphins use echolocation, and when they're in the tanks it just bounces back at them. They lose their only form of communication," said Jan Pettifor, who came to the rally in a vehicle nicknamed the Orcamobile decorated with photos of whales and topped with a cage containing a model of a killer whale. The words, "Let me out" are written on the side of the vehicle.

Laurice Dee was among the approximately 150 protesters in attednance.

"Dolphinaris using highly-evolved beings as a means for people to ohave their fun experiences is so very downright unacceptable," she said. "regardless of how well captive dolphins are being cared for, living in tiny man-made pools dos not replicate the natural environment where everything - including ad especially the ecosystem - works in harmony."

More than 150,000 people have signed an online petition opposing the facility. The petition states that dolphins "are not meant to spend their precious lives in the Arizona desert nor should they be treated like domesticated animals."

The Scottsdale-area location is planned near OdySea in the Desert, a 35-acre entertainment center near Via de Ventura and Loop 101. The complex is home to Butterfly Wonderland and a mirror maze.

The 200,000-square-foot OdySea Aquarium will feature sharks, turtles, penguins and other marine animals but not dolphins or whales. Dolphinaris is not affiliated with the aquarium, OdySea Aquarium officials have said.

According to the Dolphinaris website, the goal of the facility is to provide "an opportunity for visitors to interact with dolphins, learn about this amazing species, and be part of ocean conservation efforts. We hope to deepen respect for dolphins and our natural world, and encourage visitors to take actions, large and small, that can make a difference."

Lisa Arsenth organized Saturday's protest.

"The're turning dolphins into entertainment, and they're not," she said. "They say that this is a good educational experience, but that doesn't make sense. These are dolphins who don't know what it's like to be real dolphins."

Because the dolphin project sits on tribal lands, it is not subject to the same public permitting process as a development in Scottsdale or another municipality. But Ventura Entertainment will have to work with federal officials to transport dolphins and receive the proper license.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is working with the facility, spokesman R. Andre Bell said earlier this year. Once construction is finished, the company will apply for an Animal Welfare Act exhibitor's license, Bell said.

The agency conducts unannounced inspections to ensure exhibitors provide adequate care, including proper housing, handling, sanitation, nutrition and veterinary care. Penalties for violations range from cease-and-desist orders to fines or license suspensions.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, meanwhile, regulates the importing and exporting of all wildlife, including dolphins. The agency may also get involved via interstate commerce rules if Ventura plans to transfer dolphins from within the U.S.

Reporter Parker Leavitt contributed to this article.