"Neil the Seal", a beloved southern elephant seal who has become a viral online sensation in Tasmania, could potentially be euthanised if authorities decide he poses a risk to public safety. The prospect has prompted more than 62,000 Australians to sign a petition demanding that a "non-lethal management plan" be adopted instead, reflecting widespread public affection for the animal and concern over how growing crowds are affecting his welfare.

Neil was born at Salem Bay on the Tasman Peninsula in October 2020 and has visited Tasmania 12 times, drawing crowds eager for photographs. Now nearly six years old, he already measures three metres and weighs about 1,000kg, and could eventually reach 4.5 metres and 4,000kg while becoming more territorial with age. Experts, including Dr Kris Carlyon of Tasmania's Department of Natural Resources and Environment, warn his size could make him dangerous if people fail to keep their distance, especially as visitors try to approach or feed him. Concerns have been heightened by the case of Freya, a similarly famous walrus euthanised in Norway in 2023 over safety fears.