Neil the 1,000kg Elephant Seal Rocks Ute at Tasmanian Petrol Station
Updated
Updated · 7NEWS · Jul 5
Neil the 1,000kg Elephant Seal Rocks Ute at Tasmanian Petrol Station
2 articles · Updated · 7NEWS · Jul 5
Summary
Workers at a Tasmanian petrol station used a wooden board and rope to shoo away Neil after the 5½-year-old seal climbed onto a parked ute and slammed its chassis.
Wildlife officials said the behavior reflects isolation: after returning last week from nearly six months at sea, Neil has no local seal colony, so he redirects play-fighting and strength-testing instincts toward cars, fences and roads.
Jess Caron, a tourist who filmed the scene, said Neil rocked the vehicle back and forth, then lay in the road for about an hour after staff turned off the station lights.
Authorities are keeping Neil's exact location secret and warning crowds not to approach, saying online fame is raising awareness but also risks pushing the animal into unsafe situations and injuring people.