Neil the seal’s 15-night stay at Seven Mile Beach has cost Clarence City Council more than $31,500, with staffing accounting for the vast majority of the bill.
The southern elephant seal attracted large crowds and required extensive traffic and crowd management during his stay.
Mayor Brendan Blomeley said the council dedicated hundreds of staff hours to managing Neil’s stay.
“Most of this cost was related to staffing and labour, 131.5 standard work hours and 144 overtime hours were required during Neil’s stay,” he told Pulse.
Despite Neil’s habit of rubbing against public infrastructure, the cost of damage to council property was relatively minor.
“Neil’s scratching up against public property meant one sign, 10 bollards and one section of fence will need to be replaced, equating to around $1,297.70 in materials,” Blomeley said.
He urged the public to prioritise Neil’s welfare by keeping their distance during future appearances.
“It’s important to remember that while the damage bill is relatively small, Neil is a wild animal and the over exposure and constant public attention he received could have led to a more dramatic outcome,” he said.
“Wherever he decides to come ashore next, I hope he is given the space and time he needs.”
Neil was born in southern Tasmania in October 2020 and now weighs about 1,000 kilograms.
The southern elephant seal has become a global social media sensation for sleeping on roads, playing with traffic cones and damaging bollards and fences.
The figures come as authorities continue to debate how Neil’s future visits should be managed.
Councillor Emma Goyne recently moved to formalise Clarence City Council’s role in managing future visits.
“Council cannot manage a 4,000-kilo elephant seal, but we can manage people,” Goyne said.
Her motion was voted down, with several councillors arguing the work was already underway.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, Clarence City Council and other agencies, including Tasmania Police, agreed on July 3 to develop a management framework for Neil’s future visits.
The plan will cover his welfare, traffic and crowd control, exclusion zones and enforcement.
A recent petition calling on Tasmanian authorities to rule out euthanising Neil the seal attracted 100,000 signatures in less than three weeks.
