Help Stop ‘Neil The Seal’ From Being Killed
Neil The Seal is a southern elephant seal who was born in Salem Bay, Tasmania, in 2020.
Since then, Neil has been making regular pilgrimages to land for what is known as “hauling out”, when seals leave the water to rest, moult, and, if female, perhaps give birth.
While Neil’s appearance on the streets of Hobart brings joy to tourists, his popularity may well be the death of him if authorities decide to kill him to avoid harmful human interactions.
Instead of placing appropriate penalties on humans for interfering with Neil, Tasmanian authorities are considering the “euthanasia” of Neil to mitigate the risk of dangerous interactions.
If you believe humans should be responsible for our own behaviour and for protecting Neil, read on to find out how to help.
Animals Shouldn’t Pay For Human Stupidity
In 2022, a walrus known as Freya was shot and killed by Norwegian authorities because humans couldn’t simply stay away from her. The reason given was that Freya, like Neil, posed a risk to humans.
Giant, wild animals can indeed be dangerous if you get too close, but it’s up to us to do the sensible thing and give them space.
PETA has written to Tasmanian authorities, urging them to impose fines and imprisonment for anyone who treats Neil like a prop, but it’s up to each of us to ensure he doesn’t suffer for our sins. No animal should die because of humans’ selfish desire for selfies with wildlife.
All Animals Are Neil
Humans have a terrible track record for being kind to wild animals. We hunt and trap them, breed them for fashion, drag them from the sea on fishing lines and in nets, shoot them, and capture and imprison them in tanks and other tourist traps where they’re beaten and ridden.
Our appetite for eating the flesh of farmed animals in turn kills wildlife. Swathes of bushland are cleared to make room for grazing sheep and cattle, killing native animals like koalas.
Chicken and egg farming is also a driver of avian flu, which, aside from killing chickens, has also killed sub-Antarctic birds and Australian penguins, as well as more than 13,000 southern elephant seal pups – Neil’s species, which is now listed as vulnerable.
Fishing is decimating the oceans and leading not only to the deaths of trillions of fish annually, but also hundreds of thousands of seals, turtles, sharks, cetaceans and seabirds who are caught and killed as
“by-catch“.
If Neil’s story has moved you, it’s time to recognise that, in all the ways that matter, all animals are Neil, deserving of our respect and attention.
Help Neil and Others!
We share Earth with animals; they’re here with us, not for us.
Here’s how you can help Neil and other animals:
- Tell Tasmanian authorities to implement a non-lethal protection plan for Neil
- Never approach, touch or otherwise interfere with wild animals
- Never take ‘animal selfies’ or staged photos with wild animals
- Never ride animals on holiday
- Fish for trash, not animals
- Go vegan!
To start your compassionate journey in honour of Neil and other sentient individuals, take our 30-day vegan challenge today.
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