A woman was forced to call her boss and say she couldn’t come to work because a giant seal was blocking her car.
Amber Harris woke up on Tuesday morning to find the 600kg animal named ‘Neil’ in the front garden of her home in Primrose Sands, about 50km east of Hobart.
She watched at 6:20 a.m. as the southern elephant seal wandered around her front deck and peered through her door before exploring the garage and deciding to take a nap in front of her vehicle for a few hours.
A woman was forced to call her boss and say she couldn’t come to work because a giant seal was blocking her car
Locals have joined forces to keep the elephant seal safe by putting up banners and tape and have urged people to keep their distance from the animal.
“It’s right next to my car at the moment and I can’t get in it to go to work,” Ms Harris said ABC Radio Hobart.
“I called my boss and let her know and she was fine with it.”
Ms Harris shared several photos of Neil’s visit with her colleagues when she finally arrived at the office.
Neil has become a popular attraction for locals and visitors in the area, galloping from Primrose Sands beach and resting at various spots along the coast.
He even has his own Instagram page, set up by Tasmania’s Marine Conservation program, which has tagged the animal and is now tracking its movements.
Southern elephant seals migrate to different parts of the sub-Antarctic islands to breed from September to November.
The animals are known to lose their hair and skin between January and April.
Male seals can weigh up to 3,000 kg, while females can weigh up to 900 kg.
Neil (pictured) is quite popular among locals and has often been spotted playing skittles around town