Footage has emerged allegedly showing a Tasmania Parks and Wildlife officer prodding Neil, the beloved six-year-old southern elephant seal, during an encounter on the state’s east coast.
The man was part of a response team who were trying to move Neal away from the road. The vision, shared widely on social media on Wednesday, appears to show two men wearing high-vis vests approaching Neil before one makes physical contact several times with the near-one tonne animal, while the other holds a piece of wood.
Neil's Background and Popularity
Neil was born on the Tasman Peninsula in 2020. Authorities believe his mother got lost on her way to the Macquarie Island elephant seal colony, about 1500km away. He comes back every year to moult; a natural instinct of elephant seals is to return to the area they were born. Neil has become popular with locals over the years, with a strong admiration for traffic cones and falling asleep in their front yards. He is often spotted around Dunalley and the Tasman Peninsula.
The Incident and Public Reaction
In the clip, the officer appears to hit Neil while attempting to move him away from a verge that he was resting on off the road. Witnesses can be heard reacting in shock and demanding the men involved stop and leave him alone, questioning the decision to close the road entirely. “I’ve actually got him off the road with one cone,” one local claimed. Wildlife experts say physical force should only be used when there is an immediate safety risk.
Department's Defence
In a statement to 7NEWS.com.au, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) confirmed Neal was being relocated and said staff were using “safe, approved methods” to relocate Neil and stressed that these techniques “do not harm the animal”. “It is not possible to leave him in place, as this puts him at risk of being hit by a vehicle and creates a safety hazard for drivers and pedestrians,” the statement said. “Neil is now estimated to weigh around 1000kg, and even small movements from a large wild animal can cause serious injury. As a subadult, his behaviour has changed, and techniques used during previous visits have been updated to ensure everyone’s safety.”
The department said the use of padded poles, boards and noise to encourage movement was a “standard, internationally recognised approach” designed to guide large wildlife without injury. People are urged to stay at least 20m away from Neil, and to keep dogs on a lead at least 50m away.
