Twice a year, Tasmania finds itself invaded in a friendly manner by a young elephant seal that was born in the state and has since returned for moulting season over the past five years.
Neil the Seal has become a seasonal attraction, drawing the attention of locals and tourists alike; however, the marine behemoth’s presence has also prompted serious questions regarding endangered animals like himself, the communities he returns to, and the people who travel to Tasmania to see him.
While not all countries have a friendly neighbourhood seal, to to speak, the Tasmania phenomenon offers the global ecotourism sector a number of important lessons.
When fame turns tourism into trouble
Recent reports have seen local officials fear for the safety of both their famous visitor as well as the people who want to get a closer look at him.
According to Kris Carlyon of the Tasmanian Department of Natural Resources and Environment: “Neil’s fame is a bit of a double-edged sword. We have had some pretty silly behavior, instances with people carrying their small babies up close to him and simply trying to get that shot for Instagram.”
Local and national wildlife officials have also urged people to stay 20 metres away from Neil at all times, even if he’s sleeping, while those with dogs should stay 50 metres away.
Indeed, experts fear that humans could love Neil to death, so to speak: when wild animals become overly habituated to crowds, the animal ultimately pays the price.
Consider the horrific case of the walrus Freya who became a tourism sensation in Norway but needed to be euthanised when people stubbornly ignored safety warnings, creating an unmanageable safety risk.
Neil and Freya, however, are not the only animals from an endangered species that has gained both fame and infamy on and offline.
It will be recalled that an intruder entered the enclosure of Thailand’s beloved pygmy hippopotamus Moo Deng at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo back in March, startling the animal and putting himself at the risk of grievous bodily harm.
These incidents pose a serious challenge for ecotourism professionals: if the sector fails to self-regulate, it risks forcing conservationists into intrusive interventions like physical relocations or even lethal action to protect the public.
Now what?
Tasmania’s state government currently has guidelines that both locals and tourists need to follow in the event that they have an encounter with Neil the Seal.
Among these is a clear warning against both getting too close and, surprisingly, geo-tagging.
The prohibition on geo-tagging is actually a course of wisdom; as authorities point out: “As tempting as sharing Neil’s location on social media may be, it’s essential to refrain from doing so. Large crowds can cause stress to this wild animal and may necessitate interventions that could disrupt his natural behaviour. Protecting Neil means allowing him to move freely and without disturbance.”
This rule doesn’t just apply to that specific part of Australia, but anywhere in the world where an endemic species could be encountered by humans within the vicinity.
Indeed, the ecotourism sector as a whole must shift away from instant, location-drop tourism towards operational models centred on strict privacy and delayed reporting to prevent animals from being crowded and stressed.
At the same time, wildlife managers insist that a truly ethical encounter with a prime specimen of an endangered species means observing an animal on its own terms rather than crowding it into a space where it feels threatened, prompting an instinctive need to defend itself.
Keeping a safe distance essentially means ensuring the overall safety and wellbeing of all parties concerned, humans and animals alike.
In which case, Tasmania’s tourism and environmental officials can have the last word: “Simple actions, such as maintaining a respectful distance and controlling pets, make a big difference in preserving this unique ecosystem.”
