Viral Australian Sensation ‘Neil the Seal’ Has a Lot to Say When Authorities Try to Chase Him Back in the Water

There are plenty of famous Australians, from the late Heath Ledger to country singer Keith Urban, but none are as famous in late 2023 as social media superstar Neil the Seal. This massive southern elephant seal has no idea just how well-known he is despite crowds gathering wherever he swims ashore in Tasmania. He's making headlines left and right, and someone even created a TikTok account dedicated just to him!

On December 20, his fans shared one of his cheekiest moments as a Marine Conservation official attempted to chase him off of a public beach. The elephant seal had a lot to say to the man who dared to stand him off, but Neil reminded him who it is that really runs this town. (Spoiler alert: It's Neil!)

LMAO! Neil has zero problems speaking his mind to the animal conservation officer, much to the satisfaction of his fans. It's so much fun to hear everyone's impressed mutters and laughs in all of Neil the Seal's videos, but I'm particularly impressed by the animal's confidence in this stand-off. Clearly, he knows where he belongs.

Related: 'Neil the Seal' Is Causing Chaos and Total Delight in Tasmania

Marine biologists speculate that Neil keeps returning to these southern Tasmania beaches because it's where he was born, but that doesn't solve the problem of his frequent interactions with the public. He's been adorably harassing the small town of Dunalley since April when he made his presence known by blocking roads, destroying roadside signs, and lounging around in people's yards. As much as everyone enjoys his cheeky antics, wildlife officials were concerned that he attracted too many onlookers. Only a few months after he was 'evicted' from Kingston Beach in Hobart, the 1,300-pound ocean animal returned to stake his claim.

Elephant Seals Aren't Common in Tasmania

Not only is Neil attracting attention for the sassy things he does, but he's also famous for simply thriving in the area. In fact, he's the only known elephant seal in Tasmania! Even so, he had to be relocated from the Australian beach in April after people failed to keep their distance and respect the animal's space. Despite being a juvenile at only 3 years old, Neil is a massive animal and has the potential to be dangerous if provoked.

Alternatively, becoming too used to human behaviors can endanger a seal's life in the long run. It's especially important that Neil survive to adulthood because of how rare his species is in the area. Since 1985, there have only been nine reports of southern elephant seal pups being born.

It's easy to see why this Australian animal is a big deal! Between his rarity, his massive size, and his even more massive fan following, Neil has reached--if not surpassed- celebrity status.

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