The huge seal that became a global sensation has left Australia

In recent years, the residents of the area have already gotten used to the sight of the huge dog lying down in a place of his choice, sometimes in the middle of the road or next to a gas station, refusing to be moved by the waiting cars or the authorities trying to direct him to a safer place. Videos of him pushing poles, chewing cones and scaling his way through obstacles made him a social media star and a figure with fan accounts of millions of followers.

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But Neil’s popularity has long gone beyond the boundaries of social networks. According to reports in the local media, busloads of tourists arrive at the coastal areas where it has been sighted, and some visitors even fly to Tasmania specifically to see up close the seal that has become a global sensation. The local tourism industry has already been required to address the phenomenon, and tourism bodies and industry officials have called on visitors to behave responsibly around the animal. For Tasmania, it is an extraordinary international exposure created around one animal, but also a growing challenge of managing the flow of visitors it attracts.

can reach a weight of several tons

Neil is a southern Philly seal born in 2020 on the Tasman Peninsula, near Hobart. This is not the usual breeding environment for their species, which tend to congregate on remote sub-Antarctic islands in the southern ocean. When he was found as a puppy weighing about 40 kg, the people of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Tasmania feared that he would not survive and moved him to a safer place.

According to Dr. Chris Carlyon from the department, without human intervention Neal would likely have drowned. Since then, the professionals have been following his movements and helping to manage his visits to the area. Due to the tendency of seals to return to the place where they were born, Neal returns time and time again to the shores of southern Tasmania to rest and shed his fur after prolonged periods of foraging at sea. So far, about a dozen of his visits to the area have been recorded, and each time he returns bigger

On his last visit Neil weighed almost a ton, but he is still nowhere near the maximum weight he is likely to reach. Adult male southern Philly seals can weigh several tons and reach a length of several meters. This means that the lovable animal, which currently seems clumsy and harmless to many, is expected to become a much larger, stronger and territorial animal in the coming years.

“Love Neil to death”

The professionals emphasize that Neil is not a pet and does not need the help of visitors. The fact that it seems peaceful, slow or indifferent does not make it safe to approach – this is a large marine predator that may react quickly when it feels threatened or disturbed.

The authorities ask the public to keep a distance of at least 20 meters from it and not to feed it. Neal comes to land to rest or sing his fur, and the movement of people around him can disturb the process, cause him stress and lead him to inhabited and more dangerous areas.

The main concern is that an incident where a person gets hurt will change the attitude towards Neil and oblige the authorities to take drastic measures. The conservationists use the expression “to love Neal to death”, and mention a similar case that happened in Norway to Freya, a female of their offspring who became an attraction. Freya was killed in 2022 after crowds continued to approach her despite warnings, and the authorities determined that she was a danger to the public. The professionals in Tasmania warn that they do not want Neil to end up in a similar situation.

Neil’s popularity has already gone beyond the borders of Australia. Fan accounts dedicated to his adventures have gained a large audience on the networks, songs have been written about him and even products bearing his image have been created. Fan descriptions range from “global treasure” to “absolute annoyance” that you can’t help but love. For Tasmania, he became a character that connects local humor, tourism and affection for wildlife – but at the same time also illustrates the dangers of turning a wild animal into a network star.

Now that Neil has returned to sea, authorities and the local council are looking at how to prepare for his next visit. Among the proposals that came up: creating fenced rest areas, arranging safe observation points, managing traffic and clarifying the powers of enforcement against those who approach it contrary to the instructions. One thing is already clear: Neil is expected to return, and next time he will be even bigger.