SCOTTSDALE – Dolphinaris Arizona is launching the BLU Crew, a conservation program for young people who care about dolphins and other marine animals and want to make a difference by helping to protect their habitat.
BLU Crew members will learn how Arizona residents can help protect marine animals and the oceans, from here in the Sonoran Desert. The BLU Crew is open to elementary and high school students in 4th through 12th grades living in the Phoenix area. Dolphinaris Arizona staff will select 10 to 12 students from those who apply to participate in a behind-the-scenes tour, interact with the Dolphinaris trainers and learn about dolphin intelligence and behavior, dolphin care and feeding, physiology, ocean conservation, and more. Out of that group, Dolphinaris will select 4 to 6 students to be Dolphinaris BLU Crew ambassadors for one year. These ambassadors will work to take the message of marine life preservation, plastic pollution, water management, and energy savings out into their communities.
BLU Crew ambassadors will meet six times throughout the year alongside Dolphinaris’ staff and trainers, spending time with the dolphins and working on a group conservation project. With the assistance of the Dolphinaris staff, each BLU Crew member will also have the opportunity to create their own ocean conservation project, for their family, school, church, or community.
Kids can apply to become a member of the BLU Crew by completing an application on the Dolphinaris Arizona website at www.dolphinaris-arizona.com/blu-crew. Applications must be submitted by March 30, 2018.
Dolphinaris Arizona is located in the OdySea In The Desert Complex adjacent to the OdySea Aquarium on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community at Via de Ventura and the 101 in Scottsdale.
As a federally licensed facility, Dolphinaris adheres to the highest national and international standards of dolphin care and endeavors to not just meet but exceed standards set and enforced by the USDA. All the dolphins at Dolphinaris Arizona were born in U.S. licensed facilities and raised under human care. Trainers only use positive rewards such as toys and other forms of environmental enrichment to teach animals husbandry and other cooperative behaviors. Dolphinaris maintains a full-time veterinarian on staff specifically trained in marine mammal medicine.
Dolphinaris aspires to deepen respect for dolphins and the natural world, and encourage visitors to take actions, large and small, that help conserve our oceans. Dolphinaris operates a foundation, which works in partnership with several universities, providing an opportunity for students to study dolphin biology, physiology, behavior, medicine and conservation issues for marine life. The company also sponsors a conservation study that monitors the ecosystem of dolphin habitats in the wild and how changes in the environment affect the dolphins and other wildlife. A portion of sales at Dolphinaris Arizona will be donated to ocean and marine life conservation.
Owned by Ventura Entertainment, Dolphinaris operates five other dolphin facilities in Mexico and is one of the leading providers of dolphin experiences. Dolphinaris abides by the highest standards of animal care both nationally and internationally. Dolphinaris is a member of the European Association for Aquatic Mammals and the Mexican Association of Habitats for Interaction and Protection of Marine Mammals.
