Tasmania's Beloved Seal Causes Chaos With Traffic Cones
WHO:
The Guardian - Neil the seal, a five-year-old elephant seal, is a local legend in Tasmania.
The Guardian - Rod Macdonald, mayor of Tasman council.
The Guardian - Jacqui Lambie, independent Tasmanian senator.
The Guardian - Dr. Jane Younger, senior lecturer and seal expert at the University of Tasmania.
The Guardian - Dr. Clive McMahon, marine ecologist and science and operations manager at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.
ScienceAlert - Neil the seal has a TikTok following of 1.4 million.
WHAT:
The Guardian - Neil weighs approximately 1,000 kilograms.
The Guardian - Neil has been known to crush traffic cones, break fences, and harass parked cars.
The Guardian - The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) upgraded the southern elephant seal to "vulnerable" status.
ScienceAlert - Neil is described as a five-and-a-half-year-old southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina).
ScienceAlert - Wildlife officials recommend keeping a distance of 20 meters from Neil.
WHERE:
The Guardian - Neil is located in southern Tasmania, specifically in the Tasman council area.
ScienceAlert - Neil returns to the beaches of Hobart, an Australian capital city.
WHEN:
The Guardian - Neil was born in 2020.
The Guardian - Neil is expected to be around for six weeks during his current visit.
ScienceAlert - Next year, Neil is likely to be even bigger.
WHY:
The Guardian - Neil engages in "normal seal behaviours" such as socializing and shedding.
The Guardian - Neil's behavior of interacting with objects like traffic cones is due to the absence of other young males for social interaction.
HOW:
The Guardian - Wildlife officials are using established techniques to move Neil away from dangerous situations.
ScienceAlert - Experts explain that elephant seals like to rub against surfaces while shedding.
(UPDATED July 2, 2026 06:22 UTC)
In southern Tasmania, a five-and-a-half-year-old elephant seal named Neil has become a local sensation, boasting a TikTok following of 1.4 million and weighing approximately 1,000 kilograms. Known for his playful antics, Neil has been spotted crushing traffic cones and harassing parked cars, prompting wildlife officials to recommend keeping a distance of 20 meters from him during his six-week visit to the beaches of Hobart. As the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has upgraded the southern elephant seal to "vulnerable" status, experts are employing established techniques to ensure Neil's safety while he engages in normal seal behaviors like socializing and shedding.