Overview
- Chonkers has stayed on Pier 39’s sea lion docks for weeks, and Marine Mammal Center staff say he is very healthy at an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 pounds.
- Experts confirmed he is a Steller sea lion, a larger, lighter species that is rarely seen in San Francisco, with the last Pier 39 sighting logged in 2023.
- Viral clips show him launching onto crowded floats, which the harbormaster says were not built for 2,000‑pound animals, though officials report no injuries or damage.
- The visit has boosted tourism as people flock to see him, and the harbor master says sightings are most likely in the morning between 7 and 9 a.m.
- Steller sea lions usually range farther north in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, which helps explain why his long stopover in the Bay is unusual.