Tasmania This article is more than 3 months oldNeil the 600kg seal stops Tasmanian woman going to work after taking nap in front of her car
This article is more than 3 months oldAmber Harris woke to the sound of what she thought was somebody breaking into her car but found a tired southern elephant seal
A 600kg seal took a nap in front of a Tasmanian woman’s car, stopping her from going to work on Tuesday.
Amber Harris woke up at 6.20am to the sound of what she thought was “somebody breaking into my car”, she told ABC Hobart.
“I looked out my bedroom window and, nope, there is Neil looking up right at me.”
The southern elephant seal, named Neil by locals, has been tagged by marine conservation as he is known to venture away from beaches and on to roads. The marine mammal even has his own Instagram page.
After investigating Harris’s front deck and trying to get inside her front door, Neil explored the garage and then planted himself in front of her car.
“He is just having a nice nap at the moment,” Harris said on the morning radio show.
But “I have no idea what to do with a seal on the front lawn”.
Harris called her boss to say she would have some trouble getting to work.
“She thought it was great.”
A marine conservation expert told Harris that Neil may be on land for three to four weeks, but should leave her front lawn on his own.
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Harris lives across the road from a beach, she told ABC. “So he’s made his way all the way up, up a dirt road and across.
“I have no idea why he’s chosen my front yard but he’s welcome to stay as long as he wants.”
A few hours later, Neil made his way out of Harris’s yard.
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