{"id":668657,"date":"2026-07-01T21:50:28","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T21:50:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/668657\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T21:50:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T21:50:28","slug":"neil-the-seals-celebrity-status-putting-him-at-risk-authorities-warn-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/668657\/","title":{"rendered":"Neil the seal’s celebrity status putting him at risk, authorities warn"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is a cold winter’s night near a beach in Tasmania’s south as a strange looking creature balances its bulging body on top of a wooden fence.<\/p>\n

“Naughty boy,” someone can be heard saying in the background.<\/p>\n

Suddenly there’s a crash as 1,000 kilograms of blubber crushes the barrier separating the determined beast from its favourite snoozing spot.<\/p>\n

\"Elephant<\/p>\n

The seal’s antics provide perfect social media content.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 (Supplied: Sam Volker Photography<\/a>)<\/p>\n

“You got it, Neil,” a person calls out as the animal galumphs towards the camera.<\/p>\n

It is one of many viral moments on social media that have turned Neil, a five-year-old elephant seal, into one of Tasmania’s biggest celebrities.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Authorities have sometimes blocked Neil from exiting beach paths onto the road. (TikTok: Neiltheseal316)<\/p>\n

Loading Instagram content<\/p>\n

“He’s always been a bit of an icon,” said Dale Creamer, who has been live streaming videos of Neil on his TikTok and Instagram accounts.<\/p>\n

“He’s up there with Queen Mary and cherries and apples and stuff like that.”\"A<\/p>\n

People should stay at least 20 metres away from Neil, authorities advise. (TikTok: Neiltheseal316)<\/p>\n

Elephant seals usually congregate in their thousands on remote islands in the Southern Ocean.<\/p>\n

But each year, about a dozen end up on the shores of Tasmania.<\/p>\n

Neil was born on the Tasman Peninsula in 2020 and has been returning to the same region twice a year ever since, coming back bigger each time.<\/p>\n

Most elephant seals return to where they were born, and spend time on land to rest, moult and feed.<\/p>\n

\"Elephant<\/p>\n

Elephant seals tend to return to their birthplace throughout their lives. (Supplied: Sam Volker Photography<\/a>)<\/p>\n

His cute and sometimes mischievous behaviour<\/a>, including chewing traffic cones and leaning on cars, has won him admirers far and wide.<\/p>\n

One video, showing Neil knocking over bollards near the street corner where he currently likes to sleep, has attracted more than 15 million views on the @mangoesandcreamlive<\/a> Instagram account.<\/p>\n

“I think people can relate to him,” Mr Creamer said.<\/p>\n

“A lot of people have said he’s like the animal version of [themselves].”\"An<\/p>\n

Authorities are warning people not to get close to Neil, for their safety and his. (TikTok: Neiltheseal316)<\/p>\n

Warning issued as Neil attracts crowds<\/p>\n

But authorities are concerned that Neil’s popularity could become problematic.<\/p>\n

Since his recent return to Tasmania, onlookers have been gathering at his coastal location each day.<\/p>\n

Neil the seal’s back<\/a><\/p>\n

Neil, an elephant seal well known to Tasmanians, has returned to land and a new video shows him being coerced off a road for his own safety.<\/p>\n

Tasmania’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment said some people were failing to heed warnings to stay at least 20 metres away.<\/p>\n

“Certainly, over the last week, there have been hundreds of people in attendance and possibly thousands visiting over the course of a day,” wildlife biologist Sam Thamman, from the department’s Marine Conservation Program, told 936 ABC Hobart.<\/a><\/p>\n

“So there’s a lot of attention.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Neil the seal has not been deterred by electrified fencing. (Supplied: Declan Coffey)<\/p>\n

“And sometimes there’s some unwarranted attention towards Neil and some behaviours that we try to discourage.”<\/p>\n

Mr Thamman said there had been reports of some people taking selfies within a few metres of the Neil, and occasions where children and dogs had gotten too close.<\/p>\n

“This is really poor behaviour,” he said.<\/p>\n

If Neil were in a colony, the 1000-kilogram seal would normally be play-fighting with other seals.<\/p>\n

Mr Thamman said there was a real risk of injury if Neil was to behave in a similar way in a public space.<\/p>\n

“It’s very dangerous to both the members of the public and it places the long survival of Neil as an elephant seal visiting our shores in great jeopardy as well.”<\/p>\n

When large wild animals have caused concerns overseas, authorities have sometimes taken drastic action to ensure public safety.<\/p>\n

One notable example was a 600-kilogram walrus called Freya, who was euthanased by Norwegian authorities in 2022.<\/a><\/p>\n

“There’s Freya, the walrus, and many other circumstances in the northern hemisphere where such large, powerful animals have not been tolerated by society and they have been euthanased,” Mr Thamman said.<\/p>\n

“Now, I’ll make it very clear that that is not our management approach, but we need the help of society.<\/p>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

Authorities want to limit the seal’s interaction with humans as much as possible. (YouTube: neiltheseal_316)<\/p>\n

“We need the help of members of the public to appreciate Neil, but not feel the desire to be in his face, not feel the desire to need to have a selfie with him, to appreciate him for what he is and where he is and know that he exists without the desire to be there in front of him.”<\/p>\n

Premier reiterates safety message<\/p>\n

Premier Jeremy Rockliff acknowledged the popularity of Neil, but said safety was paramount.<\/p>\n

“He has a lot of social media activity when it comes to Neil the seal,” Mr Rockliff said.<\/p>\n

“It’s certainly sparked the attention and imagination of many people both in Tasmania and abroad.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Wildlife officers sometimes use traffic bollards when the seal wanders onto roads. (Supplied: Sam Volker Photography<\/a>)<\/p>\n

“[But] we need to be very mindful of Neil the seal and keep a very close watch with respect to the proximity of Neil.<\/p>\n

“And we need to be very mindful of leaving Neil alone to go about his daily routine.”<\/p>\n

In addition to staying more than 20 metres away from Neil, authorities said dogs should always be leashed and at least 50 metres from the seal.<\/p>\n

They also said people should not engage with Neil or try to get his attention.<\/a><\/p>\n

Loading…