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A giant sea lion nicknamed “Chonkers,” estimated to weigh 1,500 to 2,000 pounds, draws crowds to San Francisco’s Pier 39, where a rare Steller sea lion has been spotted roaming among smaller California sea lions, according to the Marine Mammal Center.
The mature marine mammal has quickly become a must-see, with tourists flocking to the popular waterfront to catch a glimpse of the unusually large animal, whose presence is rare compared to common sea lions.
A large sea lion outruns the smaller animals that often crowd the docks.
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Chonkers relax near Pier 31 after a long day of entertaining tourists and visitors who came to see the great Stellar sea lion. (Associated Press)
“He’s like a Volkswagen! He’s so big!” said tourist Oluwaseyi Akinbobola, who rushed to the wharf hoping to see the animal after hearing about it.
Experts estimate the Chonkers weighed between 1,500 and 2,000 and may have come from waters off Washington or Oregon, said Laura Gill, community programs manager at The Marine Mammal Center in nearby Sausalito.
Visitors snapped photos and gathered around the enclosure Thursday morning as a giant sea lion landed on the docks, surrounded by dozens of resident California sea lions.
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Chonkers, a giant Steller sea lion, sleeps on a dock with other sea lions at Fisherman’s Wharf on April 30. (Haven Daley/AP)
The sheltered docks provide shelter from predators and strong currents, as well as plenty of food including anchovies, herring and rockfish, Gill said.
“There’s a lot of food in San Francisco Bay for them … a lot of easy prey,” he said.
Despite its size, the Steller sea lion has been seen trying to snuggle up among smaller animals for warmth, although it “stuck out like a sore thumb,” Gill said.
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Chonkers, a giant Steller sea lion, sits on a dock at Fishermen’s Wharf in San Francisco on April 30. (Haven Daley/AP)
Sea lions have congregated at Pier 39 since shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, most prominently in Santa Cruz County, where a small population of the animals began living on the docks before growing into a tourist attraction.
Chonkers are most visible in the early morning hours and can be difficult to spot later in the day, adding urgency to tourists hoping to catch a glimpse.
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Officials say it remains to be seen whether other Steller sea lions will follow, but for now, the massive visitor has become an overnight, and possibly overweight, sensation in one of San Francisco’s most popular tourist spots.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
