"Chonkers" the massive sea lion becomes star at San Francisco's Pier 39
A massive sea lion is stealing all the attention at San Francisco's Pier 39, along with most of the dock.
The Stellar sea lion dubbed "Chonkers" has become a star among the hundreds of barking and pungent pinnipeds that have taken over at Pier 39's K-Dock.
People from across the country are coming to the tourist attraction to catch a glimpse of the pier's new superstar.
"I saw on the news about Chonkers in Atlanta, Georgia, and I came all the way to San Francisco to see him," said one visitor.
"I'm looking for the big one," said another. "Looking for Chonkers."
Chonkers was hard to miss. Male Stellar sea lions can weigh between 990 and 2,500 pounds and Chonkers looks to be on the upper end of the scale.
He arrived at Pier 39 sometime last month, likely due to the abundance of food in the area.
Droves of sea lions began lounging at the dock shortly in 1989 shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area. According to the Pier 39 website, within months over 300 sea lions complete took over the dock. In 2024, a record 2,100 sea lions parked themselves at the dock, with the Pier 39 marina providing an ideal living situation because of the available food and shelter from predators.
