Puerto del Carmen based wild west theme park Rancho Texas has been given the go ahead to complete a proposed dolphinarium. In a move which is likely to attract waves of protest both locally and internationally, as the tide of opinion turns against this type of tourist attraction worldwide.

The local council of Tias approved the scheme last week along with other proposed expansions at the park, as part of their plan for a broader modernisation of Puerto del Carmen. But many observes feel that the decision to keep dolphins performing in captivity for the sole benefit of tourists is a step back in time that is clearly solely motivated by profit and which borders on animal cruelty.

As a result the project is now likely to attract the opprobrium of campaign groups such as Empty The Tanks and the Dolphin Project. The former campaign group has already staged protests outside the park whilst the latter organisation was established in 1970 by Richard O'Barry, the former trainer of Flipper, the world's most famous dolphin. Who now dedicates himself to fighting dolphin captivity and culling and who already actively campaigns against similar sites around the globe.