Neil the seal has found a new resting spot after his close call with a fuel bowser at a Hobart service station on the weekend.
The 1,000-kilogram elephant seal has now camped out on the front yard of a nearby house.
Clarence council workers have been on site to block traffic and keep onlookers at a safe distance from the seal, who has made international headlines in recent days.
With visitors unable to see Neil from the road, many made the trek to a nearby beach where a large queue formed at a viewing platform.
A council worker kept the crowd back while sharing stories of Neil’s adventures.
The seal’s brush with the service station last week prompted a swift response from wildlife authorities, who rushed to shoo him away from the fuel pumps before he got too close.
Mukta Rohman, owner of the local servo, said Neil had not caused any damage but he was grateful marine conservation staff acted quickly.
“The people have been doing their job really well and they’ve been redirecting him really well,” Rohman told Pulse.
Thousands have flocked to the area for a glimpse of Neil, but authorities have warned the attention could have serious consequences.
Kris Carlyon, who runs the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania’s wildlife health and marine section, said some people were behaving dangerously around the seal.
“There is a risk here of essentially loving Neil to death,” Carlyon said.
He said people were carrying small babies close to Neil for photos and leaving food near him.
Almost 35,000 people have signed a petition urging the state government to guarantee a non-lethal management plan and rule out euthanasia.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff has ruled out new laws to protect the seal.
“We’re not contemplating legislation to my knowledge. This is about common sense,” he said.
“We don’t need to legislate for common sense,” Rockliff said.
Neil was born in south-east Tasmania in 2020 and is expected to eventually reach around three tonnes.
He is in the final stages of his six-week moult, with authorities running 24/7 security, partial road closures and extra wildlife officers.
Visitors are urged to stay at least 20 metres from Neil and keep dogs on a lead at least 50 metres away.
