Elephant Seal Neil May Signal Return of Species Extinct in Tasmania for Two Centuries

Neil, a five-year-old southern elephant seal making recurring appearances on Tasmanian shores, may be among the first pups born back in the state since sealers wiped out local colonies in the 1800s. Wildlife officials view his presence as a conservation success, despite the logistical burden of managing a multi-tonne wild animal in populated areas. The species now breeds primarily on remote subantarctic islands thousands of kilometres away.