Bollards, traffic cones, fences, and even LandCruisers are no match for a one-tonne giant known as Neil the seal, who has become a local legend in southern Tasmania.
Neil – a five-year-old elephant seal – has once again set up camp in Tasmanian towns. He pushes past barriers, crushes fences, lies on roads, and has even crashed into at least one parked car.
In short, he’s acting like a rebellious teenager, play-fighting with anything that stands in for another seal.
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“He’s probably not the fastest mover, but if he runs into a car or decides to put his nose on the bonnet, it’s not going to end well,” says Rod Macdonald, the mayor of Tasman council, which covers the area where Neil was born in 2020.
“[But] he’s certainly been a bit of a celebrity, and he keeps earning that status.”
As independent Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie puts it, he’s “the only bloke in Tasmania who can stop traffic, ignore everyone, and still be loved for it.”
Dr Jane Younger, a senior lecturer and seal expert at the University of Tasmania, says Neil is just doing what seals normally do.
“He’s come back every year since he was born, but he’s bigger now,” Younger says.
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“He’s about 1,000 kilos at this point, and he’s obviously more capable of being a nuisance. He’s broken fences, he’s bothering people’s cars – that’s just because of his size.”
Younger says he’s only going to get bigger.
“Adult males are routinely over 2 tonnes, and the larger ones are around three-and-a-half tonnes,” she says. “So he could get much, much bigger than he is now.”
Elephant seals are social animals when they’re on land, usually living in large colonies during moulting and mating seasons.
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Neil is probably quite lonely … elephant seals often sleep in big groups, squished up against each other. Photograph: neiltheseal316/TikTok
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‘If we love seeing Neil, why not look after Neil’s environment,’ says Dr Clive McMahon. Photograph: neiltheseal316/TikTok
While most of the Australian population lives on Macquarie and Heard islands, thousands of kilometres south, Younger thinks Neil is likely the offspring of a young, inexperienced seal that ended up in Tasmania by mistake.
Dr Clive McMahon, a marine ecologist who has studied elephant seals for 30 years, says Neil is on land for one of several “haul outs” the animals make each year. Neil seems to have come for a social visit and will probably stay for about six weeks. He’s meant to meet other young males, interact with them, and rest on the shore.
“When he would normally meet young males, they would spar with him, they would be training and … getting ready for when they’re adults,” says McMahon, a science and operations manager at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.
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“[But] without other young males … he has to learn his fighting or social behaviours by doing things like sparring with bollards, traffic cones, and other objects.”
Without those other young males, Neil is probably quite lonely.
“Unfortunately, poor old Neil, he’s probably looking for some of those things and not really finding them,” he adds, noting that elephant seals often sleep in big groups, squished up against each other.
“Often when you see him sleeping, you’ll see him squished up against a fence, and that’s probably part of him wanting to feel like something else is there.”
Beyond Neil, elephant seals are facing serious threats. The International Union forThe International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which tracks animal populations, recently reclassified the southern elephant seal as “vulnerable.” This change came after a bird flu outbreak hit four of the five main populations. In some colonies, over 90% of seal pups died, including 13,000 on Heard Island alone.
Macdonald says locals tend to manage when Neil hauls himself into town, figuring out how “to avoid getting into too much trouble with him.” “Because of his size now, he’s a bit of a danger to things,” he adds.
Wildlife officials have advised people to stay at least 20 meters away from Neil at all times, even when he’s sleeping. Those with dogs should keep 50 meters away.
McMahon says Tasmanians should welcome Neil’s visits to Australia. “If we love seeing Neil, why not take care of his environment and make sure it’s safe for him?” he says. “I guess what I’m saying is, as humans, we should really appreciate the privilege of learning as much as we can about elephant seals and the ocean.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Neil the massive seal causing chaos in Tasmania written in a natural tone with clear answers
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Who is Neil
Neil is a massive 1000kilogram southern elephant seal who has been hauling himself onto roads beaches and even front lawns in Tasmania Australia
2 Why is Neil causing chaos
Because hes the size of a small car Neil blocks traffic crushes fences and forces people to evacuate beaches He doesnt mean any harmhes just resting and moving around but his sheer size makes everything chaotic
3 Does Neil attack people
No Neil is generally calm and ignores humans The danger is that he could accidentally crush someone if they get too close or he might bite if startled Authorities warn people to stay at least 20 meters away
4 Why do people love him
Hes become a local celebrity because hes huge lazy and completely unbothered by the fuss His anticslike napping on a road or blocking a drivewayare funny and endearing to many Tasmanians
5 Is Neil lost or sick
Not likely Elephant seals often come ashore to rest molt or breed Neil is probably just following his natural instincts even if his chosen spots are inconvenient for humans
IntermediateLevel Questions
6 How did Neil get his name
Locals nicknamed him Neil because its a friendly ordinary name for such an extraordinary animal It makes him feel like a quirky neighbor rather than a wild beast
7 What kind of seal is Neil exactly
Hes a southern elephant seal Males can weigh up to 4000 kilograms so Neil is actually on the smaller side for a fully grown adult male
8 How long will Neil stay in Tasmania
It varies He might stay for a few days or several weeks while he rests or molts Once hes fully recovered or finished shedding his fur hell likely return to the ocean
9 What should I do if I see Neil
Stay at least 20 meters away Do not approach touch
