Meet Neil the Seal
Most people would not enjoy being described as loud, large and unruly. Fortunately, Neil the seal doesn’t seem to mind the description.
Neil is a 2,200-pound young elephant seal who visits Tasmania, an island state that is part of Australia.
Neil has been visiting Hobart, Tasmania’s capital, since he was born off the coast of Tasmania in 2020. Most elephant seals in the area are born on an uninhabited island about 900 miles south of Hobart. Neil’s mom gave birth in an unusual location, and Neil has been doing what elephant seals do—returning to where they’re born. Unfortunately for Neil, there are no other seals in Hobart. Scientists are hoping he may one day travel to the uninhabited island to find other seals.
In the meantime, he regularly visits Hobart and causes a RUCKUS. Neil has been seen rocking a van, blocking roads, and flattening traffic cones. He has not been aggressive toward people—but scientists warn that the public needs to be careful and allow Neil plenty of space, especially as he continues to grow. Southern elephant seals are the largest seal species on earth, and male adults can reach up to 8,000 pounds and 16 feet long—as big as a truck! At that size, Neil could possibly harm a human who gets too close.
Fortunately for Neil, there is a high level of public awareness about wildlife and conservation in Tasmania, which is home to many species that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
In the United States, we have the Endangered Species Act. It was created in 1973 to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species, as well as their habitats. Many species have benefited in the last 50 years, from whales and sea turtles to bald eagles.
President Trump has recently enacted significant changes to the Endangered
Species Act that are expected to make protecting species harder in the interest of energy development and construction.
Neil the Seal Facts:
- Year Neil was born: 2020
- Max elephant seal length: up to 16 feet long
- Year Endangered Species Act passed: 1973
