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A 1,300-pound elephant seal who has been nicknamed ‘Neil’ by Tasmanian locals has been going viral in recent days for wreaking havoc on the island.
Neil is a proper celebrity in Tasmania as he’s just one of seven elephant seals born there in the past 30 years. And he has recently returned home for extended naps in the middle of traffic which shuts down roads, or lounging sessions on people’s lawns. Neil has also fancied destroying traffic cones.
All of this behavior from Neil the Tasmanian elephant seal has also led to him becoming a bit of a sensation on TikTok. Videos telling Neil’s story have picked up millions of views with animal lovers worldwide and I thought we’d take a look at some of these videos so everyone can appreciate this 600kg elephant seal.
Neil the Elephant Seal Has Taken Over Tasmania
This first TikTok video from LiSTNR Newsroom gives a great overview on Neil and what he’s doing right now. His extended ‘naps’ that disrupt traffic and everyday lift are part of a behavior called ‘hauling out’ which she describes as ‘self care’. And it occurs when an animal has been hunting at sea for months.
These other videos of Neil, well, they have some colorful language in them. They all come from a TikTok user who goes by ‘Jaycee’ who has been tracking Neil the Tasmanian elephant seal’s activities for weeks. Here we get a real good at Neil’s day-to-day life
Neil Uses Traffic Cones Like Cats Uses Scratching Pads
Neil sees these reflective traffic cones/poles and says ‘absolutely not’.
This is one of my favorite videos from Tasmania. Here, Neil just shuts down traffic. He wanted to take a nap and found some warm asphalt so he plopped down in the middle of the road and everything came to a standstill. It’s proof that this is Neil’s land and the locals are just living in it.
Imagine walking out your front door and this 1,300-pound elephant seal is three feet away. I’m not easily startled by animals but this would be enough to have me freaking out.
Seriously though, imagine opening your front door to see this:
Drivers will stop to say hello:
The locals in this part of Tasmania have been giving Neil baths…If you can call it that:
At some point, Neil the Tasmanian elephant seal will return to sea. Summer has just started in Tasmania. Neil will want to take advantage of the changing seasons which brings an abundance of life to the local waters. He will eventually want to hunt and fatten up for Fall and Winter. But for now, Neil is enjoying life as a complete and utter lump of lard and for that we need to respect his wishes.