DaytonDailyNews.com

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Zoo's Dolphin In-Water Adventure program gives participants a unique opportunity to encounter dolphins up close and become familiar with some of the training techniques used by the zoo's marine mammals staff.

Senior trainers Jenny Lienhart and Amanda Barnett spoke with us about the program and its rules and requirements.

The Indianapolis Zoo has nine Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in its collection. The adults range from 20-22 years old and weigh 300-500 pounds. The adult males are Sundance and Kimo. The adult females are Nova, Ripley, Phoenix and China. Three young dolphins have been born at the zoo. Nova's female calf Kalei was born in November 2000. China gave birth to a female named Indy in August 2001. Ripley produced a male, Jett, in February 2002.

Participants meet the dolphins in the Dolphin Adventure pool located behind the main performance pool and stage area in the Marsh Dolphin Adventure Theater. The salt water pool is 18 feet deep, with a wide ledge that is 31/2 feet below the water surface. This is a wade-in program with no swimming required.

Each Dolphin Adventure session has up to six participants. The program typically is done in two groups, each with three guests and a dolphin. The program also accommodates up to eight observers, who are friends or relatives of a participant.

Each participant receives a photo taken with a dolphin. Observers are allowed to take photos or video. Flash photography is permitted.

Participants wear a lightweight wetsuit, life vest and sandals, which are provided.

Participants must be at least 4 feet, 6 inches tall. "We are in waist-deep water and we don't want people bobbing around in the pool," Lienhart said.

Children aged 14 and older can participate without adult supervision. Children younger than age 14 must be accompanied by a participating adult either in the water or as an observer.

The Dolphin Adventure is designed to accommodate people with special needs. The pool includes a wheelchair ramp, and the zoo has a specially designed wheelchair that can go into the water.

No jewelry is to be worn in or around the pool. If it were to fall off, the dolphins could then ingest it, Lienhart said.

Tuck in your life vest straps so the dolphins don't mistake them for toys and take you for a ride. "They will play with just about anything, and these they've found to be really fun," Lienhart said.

The dolphins are trained to carry out behaviors in response to hand signals. They typically are rewarded with fish, such as herring. "We can use fish, we can use a back or belly rub, toys," Barnett said. "Whatever they find gratifying we can use as rewards."

When not asked to do something with the dolphins, leave your hands up on your life vest. "We've taught them to take signals from our guests, and if your hands are doing things in the water they may miscue and go off and do a behavior when we're not quite ready for them to do that," Lienhart explained.

The Dolphin Adventure breaks up the routine of the dolphins' day, keeping them engaged and excited. "They jump around when they see us come out," Lienhart said. "They make little vocalizations that we attribute to excitement."

The program was designed with the health and safety of the dolphins in mind. "That's always a big concern," Lienhart said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2419 or dlarsen@DaytonDailyNews.com.