Tasmania officials urge public to keep distance from seal

A five-year-old southern elephant seal named Neil has returned to southern Tasmania, drawing large crowds and causing minor property damage while wildlife officials urge the public to keep a safe distance. The approximately 1,000-kilogram seal, a local celebrity with a massive social media following, is currently on his annual visit to rest and molt after feeding in the Southern Ocean.

Neil, who was born near Hobart in 2020, has visited the region every year since. His latest visit has seen him stopping traffic by lying in roads, bending traffic bollards, and damaging fences and signs. Officials from Tasmania’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, along with local police, have been called to scenes like an intersection in the Seven Mile Beach area to encourage him back toward the beach.

While his antics have earned him an online following of 1.4 million on TikTok, authorities are deeply concerned about public safety. There have been reports of people offering him food, carrying small babies close for photos, and getting too near for social media content. Wildlife biologist Dr. Kris Carlyon warned that Neil, despite often appearing calm, is a large marine predator and...