Tasmania’s only known resident elephant seal has been evicted from a popular beach after taking up residence ashore.
Known affectionately as Neil, the three-tonne seal surprised locals during the week with a visit to Kingston Beach in Hobart.
Conservationists, wildlife biologists and a veterinarian moved the seal to “a more secluded location” to ensure his safety on April 28.
Locals were asked to keep their distance until the juvenile southern elephant seal made its way back to sea. “Sadly, some people have not taken this advice and have continued to gather close to the seal, dogs have been brought to the area, and the department received reports of people harassing the seal,” the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania said in a statement on April 28.
Wildlife officials said they had relocated Neil to a safer location in the southeast.
Marine Conservation Program wildlife biologist Sam Thalmann said it was important the seal did not become used to human behaviours. “Neil is Tasmania’s only resident elephant seal and will grow to four to five metres in length and about 3500 kg in weight,” Thalmann said. “That’s a very large animal and potentially dangerous if provoked.
“We want to see Neil reach adulthood and beyond safely so it’s critical he doesn’t get used to being near humans.”
Neil’s arrival was a back-to-school surprise for local Meg Garvey and her family on April 25 morning.
“At first I thought it was a really large rock, then I saw the people gathered around and realised that’s a really large seal,” Garvey told AAP.
“He must have gone up the disability ramp, cruised up from the beach and then gone to sleep,” Garvey said of the seal’s journey across the busy Osborne Esplanade.
“The kids were getting ready for their first day back at school. I yelled at them to come down and take a look.”
Neil is no stranger to public visits, making multiple trips along Tasmania’s southeast coast since his birth in 2020.
“He doesn’t seem very perturbed by people or dogs,” Garvey said.
“I hope he stays around.”
