You all know and love Benny, the wild, long-nosed fur seal that likes to sun-bake on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. Well, now you an interact with a digital seal created by the Opera House so that visitors can discover more about the iconic building.
Benny (named after Bennelong Point) was first spotted sunbathing in 2014, and later with a juvenile pup. He’s been drawn by The Simpson’s creator Matt Groening, and photographed by every excitable person who’s had the pleasure of spotting him, belly up, enjoying the sun.
An eight-metre inflatable seal was seen floating on the Harbour today in celebration of the charming chat bot. The seal chatbot, which is found on the Sydney Opera House's website and operates via Facebook Messenger, can tell you facts about the Opera House, show you events, or tell you more about Sydney’s seal population.
Taronga Zoo’s spokesperson, Andrew Irvine, unit supervisor of the Marine Mammal Department is pleased with the animal's population rates – especially around the Sydney Opera House. He says, “The fact that the Opera House seal has returned to the same location over the years is a strong indicator that the public are behaving responsibly, and a wonderful example of how humans and wildlife can share the marine environment.”
