Dolphinaris protesters seek permanent closure

Heat continues on venue where four dolphins died

Protesters angry about the fourth dolphin death at Dolphinaris gathered again Saturday in Scottsdale to call for the entertainment venue’s permanent closure.

People with signs gathered about 2 p.m. near Via de Ventura and Pima Road in Scottsdale. A similar protest also was held last weekend at the location.

“We MUST all continue to place pressure on this captive dolphin facility in Arizona and on all parties directly connected to its operation,” says a Facebook post from Dolphin Free AZ, which is hosting the protest.

On Friday, Dolphinaris Arizona closed temporarily while a panel of experts evaluates the facility after the death of the dolphin, Kai, last week.

The panel will include veterinarians, pathologists, water-quality experts and animal-behavior specialists who will report their findings and recommendations, a statement from Dolphinaris said.

Some Dolphinaris employees were being laid off Friday because of the temporary closure.

Kai was the fourth — of the facility’s eight dolphins — to die at the facility since it opened in October 2016 at Loop 101 and Via de Ventura on the Salt River Reservation east of Scottsdale.

Dolphinaris said in a statement that Kai, a 22-year-old dolphin, died after his condition began deteriorating and he had difficulty swimming, eating and breathing.

Two of the four remaining dolphins, which were loaned to the facility, will be transferred back to Dolphin Quest, a Hawaii-based facility that loaned them to Dolphinaris. The other two will be transferred to another licensed facility.