Neil the Seal: What Happens When He Gets Bigger?

By Madeleine Rojahn

Topic: Animal Behaviour

Monday, July 6, 2026, at 8:38 am

Neil the seal is very popular when he comes back to the shore.

In short:

Neil is a big seal who weighs 1,000 kilograms and is five years old.

When Neil is on the shore, people come to see him, and some want better laws to protect him.

What's next?

Almost 30,000 people want to make it illegal for tourists to bother Neil.

Tasmania's favorite seal, Neil, is getting bigger and more popular.

Neil was born on the Tasman Peninsula and comes back twice a year.

Many people watch Neil on social media and come to see him in person.

Some people are worried that Neil might get hurt if people don't keep their distance.

People who saw Neil yesterday kept their distance.

Many people signed a petition to protect Neil's space.

The petition says people should not bother Neil and should be fined if they do.

Neil is three meters long and weighs 1,000 kilograms.

When Neil grows up, he will weigh 4,000 kilograms and might be more protective of his space.

This picture shows how big Neil is now and how big he will be when he grows up.

A wildlife carer says we need a plan to protect Neil before he gets bigger.

As Neil gets older, he gets more attention, and we need to protect him.

Cory Young says we need to protect Neil before he gets too big.

Seals sometimes stay on land for a while to get rid of old skin.

In the wild, Neil would rub against rocks to get rid of old skin.

Neil is itchy all over and tries to remove the old skin.

Neil is very popular on social media.

A wildlife advocate also supports the petition to protect Neil.

We don't want someone to get hurt or Neil to suffer because of people's actions.

Jason Graham doesn't want Neil to get hurt because of people's mistakes.

Other states have laws to protect seals.

When Neil is on land, the government manages traffic and tells people to stay away.

People who take care of Neil will watch him 24/7 when he is on land.

The government has been managing traffic when Neil is on land.

In Victoria, people are not allowed to get close to seals on land.

If people bother seals in Victoria, they can get fined.

People who take care of the environment have been watching Neil and the people who come to see him.

The Premier of Tasmania says the government is not making new laws to protect Neil.

There are rules to follow when you see Neil: keep your dog on a leash and stay 20 meters away.

You must keep your dog on a leash when you see Neil.

A deputy mayor wants stronger rules to protect Neil.

The deputy mayor wrote to the government to ask for a plan to protect Neil and other seals.

Allison Ritchie says more needs to be done to protect Neil.

The deputy mayor suggests making temporary zones to keep people away from Neil and fining those who break the rules.

Neil is a beloved animal in Tasmania, and people want to make sure he is safe.

People want a plan to protect Neil as he gets bigger.

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