“It was amazing to see.”
Recently, on a quiet stretch of beach in Tasmania, a massive marine visitor emerged from the ocean and lumbered across the sand toward a shaded dune, clearly intent on taking a break. As he moved inland, he left behind an unmistakable trail — a broad, rectangular path marked by small round impressions along each side.
A passerby noticed the unusual tracks and followed them up the beach, stopping in awe upon discovering the enormous creature responsible.
The observer wisely kept their distance and contacted Susie, a wildlife rehabilitator with Wildlife Safe Tasmania, who promptly came to assess the situation.
The unexpected guest turned out to be a southern elephant seal — one of the largest seal species on Earth, famous for their size and thunderous vocalizations. According to Tasmania’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, sightings of elephant seals in the region are rare, with only around a dozen reported each year.
Though uncommon to spot locally, resting on shore is perfectly normal behavior for these animals.
“Elephant seals spend long periods at sea and can travel thousands of kilometers while foraging,” Wildlife Safe Tasmania explained in a Facebook post. “Coming ashore allows them to warm up, recover their energy and prepare for their next journey into the Southern Ocean.”
Susie, who had encountered only a few elephant seals in her career, watched quietly as the seal enjoyed his downtime.
“He mostly slept, taking slow, deep breaths,” she told The Dodo. “Every now and then he’d lift his head, look around with those huge eyes, let out a big yawn — and then settle right back down.”
After confirming the seal was healthy and undisturbed, Susie ensured his path back to the water remained clear before leaving him to rest.
“It was such a special moment,” she said. “I feel incredibly lucky to have witnessed it and captured a few photos.”