Neil, the southern elephant seal who became a global social media star, has returned to the sea, Tasmania’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) confirmed on Thursday. The five-year-old, one-tonne seal had spent several weeks resting and moulting in southern Tasmania, a regular haul-out spot for him.
His departure on Wednesday night was “natural behaviour and was expected,” the NRE said in a statement reported by The Guardian. While he might make a brief return to a nearby spot, the department suggested he may be heading off to southern feeding grounds.
During his stay, Neil’s antics—including bashing bollards, crushing fences, and lounging on roads in the Clarence City Council area—were widely documented and shared online, attracting millions of views and streams of visitors. His presence required management from the NRE, Tasmania Police, and the Clarence City Council to handle traffic and ensure public safety.
Authorities repeatedly urged the public to keep a safe distance, advising people to stay at least 20 metres away and keep dogs on a lead at least 50 metres away. Dr Kris Carlyon of the NRE had warned of the risk of “loving Neil to death,” after reports of people getting too close for photos, which could lead to dangerous situations.
Born in southern Tasmania in 2020, Neil is unusual because most southern elephant seals are found on sub-Antarctic islands. His regular returns to where he was born are a natural instinct. Experts told reporters that his habit of jousting with inanimate objects like street signs is likely practice for sparring with other seals his age.
While the Clarence City Council is yet to assess the full cost of the damage to public property, Premier Jeremy Rockliff noted that the “traffic cones and street signs of Tasmania can breathe a small sigh of relief,” as reported by multiple outlets.
The NRE’s marine conservation program will continue to monitor the situation, although a tracking device fitted in 2023 fell off during his annual moult last year, The Guardian reported.