Neil the Seal is causing havoc at Dunalley here in Tasmania down the south. Now Neil the Seal was born in Tasmania down on the Peninsular in October 2020, and with no other seals around at all which is unusual, Mum took off and left Neil after about 3 weeks of nursing abruptly weeing him and left Neil to fend for himself, so he's not used to having other seals for company. Because Salem Bay is where he was born in Tasmania, he thinks it's his real home, so he comes home. 😁He came home for his winter 'moult'. Apparently Neil has done his thing, is now gone till next time.
The Video is curtesy of the Guardian newspaper.
Neil is a Southern Elephant Seal. He refuses to go back into the sea during these two periods he comes home for his welfare reason and to do his thing in the nature world. However he disrupts traffic, lies in the middle of the road, pushes boulders over and is destructive. Of course he is a tourist attraction during these times and people are asked to stay 20 meters away from Neil. He weights about 1,000 kg (1 tonne and about 3 meters long). Neil is also guarded by humans 24/7 as far as I am aware.
There is a lot more I could write about Neil the Seal but there would be a lot of reading, so I have left it, and of course there is much on the internet about him.
I borrowed these photos. Where those faint yellow stars are is where Dunnally is.
He has a strange behavior. When he's not used to being with other seals, it's understandable that he doesn't know how the other seals behave.
ReplyDeleteYes it seems he's a bit odd but then I don't know about other seals if in a similar situation. I do believe he mixes with other seals now, and for sure he will in a few years when he is looking for a mate.
DeleteEven here in Germany, there are reports about him on TV! Thanks for this information and the photos! Greetings from the North Sea coast of Germany, Elke
ReplyDeleteOh really, so far away and he has been on the TV. Amazing Elke. Thanks for telling me that.
DeleteHow cute is Neil! I wonder how it's going to happen to it in future...
ReplyDeleteHopefully he will be ok in the future but seals when they get to a certain age can become more destructive and troublesome, so we will have to wait and see I suppose.
DeleteHe's so cute. Love his face.
ReplyDeleteHe is cute Mary.
DeleteDear Margaret, I absolutely loved this! Neil the Seal!!! I love his name, he is really cute and quite a mischief maker! :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a mischief maker Linda and we sometimes wonder what he will do next.
DeleteOhhhh I love him. He is amazing with his antics. Thank you for sharing this. Made my day.
ReplyDelete😉Oh I'm glad it made your day, Nicole. You are welcome.
DeleteTo je krásný a zajímavý příběh! Je fakt, že nepoznal soužití s jinými tuleni a tak nemá tu svoji smečku. Nemusí se starat o nic a je vlastně mediální hvězdou. 😊
ReplyDeleteDěkuji za sdílení, jinak bych se o něm nedozvěděla!
You are welcome. I believe he has seal friends now, it was when he was much younger not that he is old now.
DeleteI loved this post about him, thank you Margaret. He is a big fella isn’t he?
ReplyDeleteHe certainly is a big seal and will become larger I believe...so we will have to look out for his antics next time he comes home.
DeleteHe sure is getting a lot of international attention.
ReplyDeleteDon't seals stink???
Lovely sunny day here at Terrigal.
Yesterday even with school holidays the beach was surfer free.
Just the few motorised young ones trying to break legs, arm or neck!!!.
Cheers
Colin
So I hear he is, Colin getting a lot of attention far and wide it seems.
DeleteI presume they might smell but I don't know as I've never been close enough to find out.
Well the young ones have to have a bit of clean fun, Colin.
Uy es tan lindo. Te mando un beso y te deseo un buen fin de semana.
ReplyDeleteThank you, and same to you too.
DeleteI think there has been a mention of Neil everyday somewhere since his return. I hadn't realised he was so destructive.
ReplyDeleteOh he is destructive, he headed for the service station and you can imagine what a mess he would have made if he got to a bowser, so a board was put between him and that bowers and a human had to try and entice him away from it. He had to be kept away from cars and so on..
DeleteI wonder if Neil would have turned out differently if his mother hadn't abandoned him so early. With her mothering and teaching, would he have just been a regular seal? one of the crowd? We will never know..
ReplyDeleteWe will never know but she certainly wasn't around long enough to teach him any manners R.
DeleteI believe I have read about it somewhere, but not in detail.
ReplyDeleteSeems many countries have heard about Neil which I didn't know so many had.
DeleteI have seen him in the news lying on land or sand, but it didn't look comfortable for a rather fat and floppy body. Seals are sleek because they spend most of their lives in the ocean. I hope Neil makes some friends soon, especially ocean-going friends.
ReplyDeleteNow that he's gone back to the sea, I'm sure he will find some other seals and in a few years he certainly will Hels.
DeleteI love seals, that childlike look of theirs, their gentle ears...
ReplyDeleteThey are such a beautiful creature. They are so large but look gentle.
DeleteIt is Neal’s world, and we are just living in it.
ReplyDeleteThat's so true especially in the sea and on rocks.
DeleteIt is really very special that the seal is staying in the town.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't seen anything about it on TV here.
I wish you a very good weekend, Margaret.
Super post! I'm glad people pretty much leave him alone-- for his sake, and for theirs.
ReplyDeleteSuch a marvelous creature.
ReplyDelete