Neil the seal went to sea.
The 1,000kg marine mammal has spent the last few weeks on Seven Mile Beach, near Hobart, in southern Tasmania.
The antics of the Nile seal have captivated people around the world. (Facebook: NRE Tas)
His antics of beating poles, destroying fences and chewing traffic cones turned him into an internet sensation.
“Neil the Seal is a world treasure,” one fan wrote on Instagram.
“The highlight of my day is watching Neil’s content – it’s what I live for,” said another devotee.
“Neil is an absolute menace and I love him.”
someone else stated.
But the Nile seal phenomenon almost never happened.
In October 2020, wildlife experts were alerted to the birth of a baby elephant seal on the Tasman Peninsula.
The 40kg puppy was found lying on a tidal sandbar.
Neil as a puppy in 2020 with his mother. (Delivered by: Tasmania Department of Natural Resources and Environment.)
Chris Carlyon from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) has no doubt what would have happened if his team had not immediately moved Neil to a safer location.
“He definitely drowned that day,” Dr Carlyon said.
“And we’ve looked after it and managed it ever since.”
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Who or what is “Nile the seal”?
Elephant seals typically gather in herds on the sub-Antarctic islands of the Southern Ocean.
But because seals are programmed to return to the area where they were born, Neil has returned to the Hobart coastal area twice a year since his birth.
Every time he becomes bigger and bolder.
And just like his girth, his fan base continues to grow exponentially.
“He has an incredible following on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook,” University of Tasmania media lecturer Gemma Blackwood said.
“People can’t get enough of Nile the seal.”
Neil drew huge crowds of people who were urged to stay at least 20 meters away from him. (ABC News: Mitchell Woolnough)
She attributes much of his online popularity to his personality.
“People really like the fact that he seems to be a bit of a rule-breaker – you could call him a folk hero,” he said.
– said Dr. Blackwood.
“(He) brings a lot of joy to people, and that happens locally, nationally and internationally.”
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Neil Larrikin bringing positivity
Neil comes to the shores of Tasmania twice a year. (Attached: Photo by Sam Walker)
The love for Neil is not limited to the online world.
In recent weeks, thousands of people, including some who flew in from the interstate, have ventured to his seaside resort just to catch a glimpse of the celebrity stamp.
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“It has a quintessential Australian larrikin vibe to it,” said Harrison Smith, who was among the many spectators keeping the required 20m distance from Neil.
“He’s just a one-ton seal, destroying fences and doing whatever he wants.
“He’s an icon.”
Another observer, Mike Warren, told ABC that Neil brought people together.
“There are a lot of other negative things going on and to have a little bit of positivity, especially here, is great.”
– he said.
“You can see people coming down and they’re all smiling and it’s really nice to see – a bit of innocent fun.”
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Reason for Neil’s popularity
Dina Tepper is a lecturer at La Trobe University, specializing in psychology and anthrozoology – the study of human-animal relationships.
She said one of the reasons people are so fascinated by Neal is because of a psychological concept known as the “baby schema.”
Authorities say Nile the seal ‘may have moved on’
“It is this idea that we are attracted to creatures and animals with big round faces, cute big cheeks and wide eyes (like human babies).”
– said Dr. Tepper.
“When we see these photos and videos of Neil, we definitely see that he has that big, wide head, huge eyes and (that) chubby fullness that we love so much in human babies.”
She said similar human-like reactions have been observed in other famous animals, including the pygmy hippopotamus Mu Deng and the huge king penguin Pesto.
Like Neil, Melbourne Aquarium’s giant penguin chick ‘Pesto’ has become an international social media star. (ABC News: Patrick Rocca)
Dr Tepper said people also tended to view Neil’s brash behavior through a human lens – a concept called anthropomorphism.
“We kind of look at his behavior and think he’s very sassy, mischievous, rebellious and intentionally ruining these things to make us laugh,” she said.
“And, of course, that’s not actually the case.
“He’s just exhibiting the behavior of a wild seal.”
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While his antics mostly cause joy and laughter, some people have expressed concern over the fact that he is a loner and has no other seals to keep him company.
“Certainly, as humans, we tend to look at animals like this and feel empathy for them and think that they must be feeling the same loneliness that we might be feeling,” Dr. Tepper said.
“But again, he’s a seal, and we don’t quite know if he feels sadness and loneliness the way we would.”
Neil at a Tasmanian boat jetty in 2023. (Attached: Debbie Allanby)
While some have expressed concern that Neil is lonely, this is not necessarily the case. (Attached: Photo by Sam Walker)
Neil goes global
Neil’s antics have captivated people all over the world.
He was featured on CNN and the New York Times, as well as many other international media outlets.
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It has also inspired advertising campaigns, including one for a Tasmanian insurance company that features the seal lying on the roof of a car.
And a marketing agency recently used Neil’s presence in southern Tasmania to promote Airbnbs in the area.
There are also endless items for sale online, including Nile the Seal stickers, phone cases and clothing.
Neil outside a Tasmanian estate agency, 2023. (Attached: Facebook/Raine & Horne)
Politicians are also trying to exploit the popularity of print through humorous content on social media.
Tasmanian Prime Minister Jeremy Rockliffe has posted a short video of himself sitting down for a TV interview and transforming into a seal.
“Getting ready for a Netflix documentary about Nile the Seal,” reads the title of his video.
Opposition Leader Josh Wyllie added a heavy metal soundtrack to the footage of Neil smashing the pole.
“Neil Seal is a metalhead,” the post reads.
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Keeping the Nile safe
Despite the joy Neil had caused, Tasmanian wildlife experts said they were concerned there was a risk the seal would be “loved to death”.
They noted cases in other countries where large wild animals in public areas were euthanized after they were deemed to pose a threat to public safety.
These links prompted an online petition to increase Nile’s protections.
Neil has been known to knock over traffic cones, signs and poles. (Attached: Photo by Sam Walker)
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While local authorities have made it clear that such extreme measures are not their preferred management approach, they have reiterated the need for visitors to give the Nile plenty of space.
They say this is especially important because its size could more than double in coming years.
“So the more we allow Neil to act like a seal, the better the outcome for Neil and the community.”
Said Dr Carlyon of NRE.
Neil is expected to get much bigger as he ages. (ABC News: Hamed Akrami)
During his recent stay in Tasmania, traffic wardens were brought in to ensure his safety.
24-hour security was also organized.
They are likely to be called upon again if and when the Nile returns to the area after months of feeding in the Southern Ocean.
Neil has completed his recent stay in Tasmania. (TikTok: Neiltheseal316)