Neil the seal enjoying his time at Clifton Beach

One of Tasmania’s favourite animals has been at his cheeky best recently as locals and tourists alike lap up the friendly antics. PHOTOS + VIDEO >>

One of Tasmania’s favourite animals has been at his cheeky best recently as locals and tourists alike lap up the friendly antics.

Neil the seal has set up camp at Clifton Beach Surf Life Saving club for the past three weeks and captain Simon Bailey said he’d been enjoying his current home.

“This is the first time he’s come and visited the club like he has,” Mr Bailey said.

“I think he’s about two years old...for him this is a new location and he obviously must like it.”

Neil the Seal at Clifton Beach Picture: Linda Higginson

The friendly southern elephant seal has also been checking out some of the surrounding homes in his free time.

“He made his way into a backyard and came up to the back deck,” Mr Bailey said.

“The owners heard something and came out at 3am and found Neil there.

“One morning one of the locals was trying to back out of his driveway and he couldn’t get out because Neil was sleeping across it.”

A sign posted in the carpark by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment said Neil had been assessed by a vet and was in “excellent condition”.

“He is in excellent condition and is simply ashore to rest and possibly moult,” it read.

Mr Bailey said Neil had been behaving himself since calling Clifton Beach home, but he couldn’t say the same for some of the visitors.

Neil the Seal at Clifton Beach Picture: Linda Higginson

“It’s not the locals, they’re very protective of him. It’s school holidays and people are driving too close to him and someone was in his face the other day trying to get him to bark.

“If someone gets hurt it’s going to be on them, Neil is just hanging out in his neighbourhood.

“Just let him be, if people do go down for a look they must stay 10m away from him.

“If it gets to the stage where people are harassing him they’ll have no choice but to relocate him.”