Neil the seal 'may have moved on', Tasmanian wildlife experts say

Neil the seal 'may have moved on', Tasmanian wildlife experts say Thu 9 Jul 2026 at 11:57am In short: A five-year-old southern elephant seal known as Neil the seal has likely returned to sea, authorities say. Neil was born on the Tasman Peninsula in 2020 and has been returning to the region twice a year ever since, once for a mid-year haul-out and then again to moult. What's next? Local wildlife experts say Neil may have moved to a different location if he wasn't at sea. Authorities in Tasmania say it appears Neil the seal may have left his resting spot near Hobart. The 1,000-kilogram elephant seal has spent several weeks at Seven Mile Beach. Videos of his bollard-bashing, fence-crushing antics have turned him into a global internet sensation. Hundreds of locals and tourists have been visiting the beach each day to catch a glimpse of five-year-old Neil. His popularity and concerns for his safety, prompted authorities to put a traffic management plan in place. A 24/7 security guard was also engaged. Neil may haul out elsewhere It's believed Neil made his way into the water overnight, although it's not yet clear if he has left the region. Loading..."It appears that Neil the seal may have moved on from the area," the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) said in a statement. "This is his natural behaviour and was expected. "Neil may return or haul out at another location." The department said the Marine Conservation Program at NRE was currently monitoring the situation and the local area. Expert calls for 'respect' for 'wild animal' Neil was born on the Tasman Peninsula in 2020 and has been returning to the region twice a year ever since. Dr Clive McMahon, an expert in Southern Ocean and Antarctic ecology, said it was normal for seals to head back to sea after resting on land for several weeks. "He's been … doing one of these mid-year haul-outs," said Dr McMahon, who works at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. "It's perfectly reasonable that he might well have headed off back to sea to feed." If Neil has left the area, Dr McMahon said the seal would be moving towards the south-west of Tasmania. "He'll go to areas where there's probably upwelling or there's some mixing of the ocean, which promotes nutrients being drawn to the surface, which attracts zooplankton, and that attracts fish and squid, which are the primary diets for elephant seals." Dr McMahon said it was likely Neil would return in summer to moult, but there was a chance he could do another mid-year haul-out before then if he needed to rest after feasting at sea. "It's quite an extraordinary thing to see an elephant seal in Tasmania, to see it close to where people live and to see it in an accessible spot,"he said. "And I just hope that people enjoy seeing Neil and respect the fact that he is a wild animal. "Give him the space he needs to rest when he is here and … perform those behaviours, which everybody is being enchanted by. "They're perfectly natural behaviours for him to perform in the absence of other males or other seals to interact with." NRE urged anyone who comes across Neil to contact the marine mammal hotline on 0427 WHALES (0427 942 537). "The public is reminded to stay at least 20 metres away from Neil, and to keep dogs on a lead at least 50 metres away. Do not touch, feed or approach the seal and avoid blocking the seal's access to the water," it said.