You may have heard of Australia’s famous seal, Neil the Seal, who became a massive internet sensation in 2023. The giant southern elephant seal has no idea he’s famous. But whenever he hauls himself ashore in Tasmania, which he does several times a year, there’s guaranteed chaotic entertainment wherever he visits!
Neil makes himself completely at home, often blocking busy streets, sprawling across driveways, leaving residents stuck because there’s simply no way around him. He’s even known for casually ignoring police officers who try to move him along from public spaces. In this clip, shared at the beginning of December, a man driving down a road in the dark stops abruptly because guess who’s blocking the street…Neil’s annoyance at being so rudely awakened is written all over his face!
The video’s caption totally cracked us up: “Neil waking up and thinking, what the hell do you want, mate?!”
Commenter @Huh made us laugh when they asked, “Why is he NEVER in the water?! LOL!” @briannasweeney23 replied, “He’s literally in the water 9-10 months out of the year. He comes back ashore for a few weeks twice per year to rest/molt and eventually breed.” Another commenter added, “Because he’s a MENACE!!”
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More About Neil the Seal
Believe it or not, Neal is just a baby. He’s an elephant seal estimated to be about 4 years old and weighing 1,300 pounds. According to National Geographic, southern elephant seals are the largest seals in the world. They can grow up to 20 feet in length and weigh up to 9,000 pounds (that’s 4.5 tons!). He’s got a long way to go still!
Tasmanian wildlife handlers have tried to relocate Neil to a more seal-friendly location and to get him out of the city since he’s kind of an adorable menace. He loves to stop traffic by lying in the middle of the road, destroying road signs, lounging in residents’ yards, yelling at people, and generally being where he’s not supposed to be.
Unless you have hours to spend going down a rabbit hole of Neil videos, do not check out Neil the Seal’s TikTok account. But if you have a few minutes to spare and need a laugh, I highly recommend you check it out!
This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Dec 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.