Phil Demers is a former Marine Mammal Trainer with extensive experience working with captive orcas, beluga whales, dolphins and various pinnipeds. He is best known for his unique relationship with a female walrus named Smooshi, with whom he shared a powerful bond. This relationship is what largely inspired Phil to become a whistleblower of animal cruelty and to speak out against marine mammal captivity.

His advocacy lead to the historic passing of bill S-203, a ban on whale, dolphin and porpoise captivity which now serves as a template for other countries and jurisdictions to adopt. Phil notably negotiated the relocation of walruses Smooshi and Koyuk by way legal settlement with his former employer MarineLand, Canada, effectively ending walrus captivity in Canada.

Phil was the focus of the award winning documentary “The Walrus and the Whistleblower” which chronicled his activism throughout the passing of bill S-203 and his fight for Smooshi the walrus.
Phil is a 5x guest on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast as well as other prominent radio and television programs remaining a powerful vocal critic of animal captivity.