Tasmanias Neil the seal has found viral fame, leaving experts concerned for his welfare | Tasmani

Publish date: 2024-05-06
Tasmania This article is more than 1 month old

Tasmania’s Neil the seal has found viral fame, leaving experts concerned for his welfare

This article is more than 1 month old

A marine expert has said that locals should be careful around the seal and remember that he is a wild animal after footage of his antics went viral

The rising fame and viral antics of a 600kg southern elephant seal known for venturing away from the coast and hauling himself about the streets of Tasmania’s southern beach suburbs, have left marine experts concerned for his welfare.

Neil the seal has become a social media celebrity, with an Instagram account that documents his life accruing more than 45,000 followers since he was officially identified on a “haul out”, a period in which seals come to land to rest, in July 2022.

Since then, he has become a national phenomenon – making headlines across Australia when he blocked access to a Tasmanian woman’s car preventing her from going to work.

His adventures have made the The New York Times, which covered Neil lying in front of a local real estate office and causing a commotion outside a fish and chip shop – as he moved between the nearby boat ramp and the middle of the road in Dunalley.

Yet his growing fame is becoming increasingly problematic, according to the owner of the seal’s Instagram account – as well as a local marine expert.

“We need to remember these are wild animals,” said Mary-Anne Lea a professor from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania.

“It’s OK when animals are cute and interacting in generally safe ways, but then they become bigger and other natural behaviours kick in - along with their hormones - and you can start to have interactions that you are less fond of,” she said.

According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, southern seal elephants will move their bulk with speed if harassed, which can become dangerous to humans.

The seal’s Instagram account, established by a Tasmanian resident, was created initially for “Tassie locals” and their children to learn about Neil’s behaviour.

But on 19 December, the account posted to say that after taking advice from marine biologists, it would no longer post his up-to-date location to ensure his safety.

The account holder said interest in the seal from TikTokers had also concerned them.

“I would ask everyone that engages with Neil to please remember that he is not there for our financial gain, he is a wild creature with his own unique personality and deserves the respect of all people,” the Instagram post stated.

Lea said people were “astounded” by Neil’s size, but had little understanding into why he was moving around and resting on land.

“This is something that I worry about constantly,” Lea said. “People assume that he is thirsty or hungry or unwell.”

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“They don’t know that elephant seals haul out for rest periods after spending a long time at sea – so they need to be out on land.”

Lea referenced the story of Freya the walrus, who enchanted people in Norway last year climbing on to boats and basking in the sun, attracting vast crowds.

Freya was euthanised after Norwegian authorities declared her a persistent threat to human security.

“She literally was loved to death,” Lea said. People should “join the dots” between what happened with Freya and what can happen when a large mammal is regularly interacting with humans, she said.

“They’re very beautiful to look at. They’re quite comical too – playing with road markers … making funny belching and farting sounds”, Lea said.

“But I think the basic advice is for people to remember that Neil is a wild animal.

“If they would like Neil to live a long and healthy and happy life as a recovering rare southern elephant seal in Tasmanian waters, then people need to give him a respectful distance wherever possible and to be listening to the local authorities,” she said.

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