Neil the Seal, the one-tonne southern elephant seal, has headed back out to sea after his latest stint on Tasmanian shores. He was last spotted at Seven Mile Beach near Hobart, from where he is believed to have swum out to sea late on Wednesday. Whether he will return again soon is uncertain, but residents and tourists are warned to continue keeping their distance if he pops up at another beach during his annual visit.
Chaotic Behaviour During Visit
During his time on land, Neil threw his weight around in suburbs, smashed down bollards, and snoozed in various locations from the beach to the middle of the road. Elephant seal scientist Sophia Volzke told Sunrise on Monday that the teenage seal was “practising how to be a big boy.” Hundreds of people visited Neil each day, despite authorities urging them to stay at least 20 metres away. Volzke warned that Neil is powerful enough to seriously injure someone if approached.
Public Warnings and Incidents
Not everyone heeded the warnings. Seven Mile Beach resident Sian Sinclair reported on social media: “I’ve witnessed some pretty poor behaviour over the last few days, and it seems to be escalating. Please everyone, keep your distance and respect the need for Neil to be in a peaceful environment. He was very distressed ... due to the large crowd and kids yelling at him to ‘smash the sign’.”
Relocation for Safety
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) confirmed that Neil was relocated at one point during his latest visit for everyone’s safety, including his own. Although experts had expected Neil to remain onshore for up to several more weeks, wildlife officials say his departure was expected as elephant seals naturally return to the ocean after periods of rest on shore.
Natural Instincts and Background
It is a natural instinct for elephant seals to return to the area where they were born. 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 1500 kilometres away. Neil has become popular with locals over the years, known for his admiration of traffic cones and falling asleep in suburban front yards. His chaotic behaviour is normal for teen seals, who typically roughhouse with other juveniles when in a colony, preparing to become dominant “beachmasters” that compete fiercely for breeding territories as adults. Neil will not be ready to breed for at least another five years, and when he is, he will need to head further south towards Antarctica to compete for a beach of his own.
