Giant Steller sea lion 'Chonkers' draws crowds at SF's Pier 39

A massive Steller sea lion nicknamed "Chonkers" has drawn growing crowds to San Francisco's Pier 39, where the animal rests on the docks and visibly dwarfs the California sea lions around it.

The unusual visitor — a species rarely seen in San Francisco Bay — can grow up to 11 feet long and weigh as much as 2,500 pounds, according to ABC7 Los Angeles, making it a striking sight among the far smaller California sea lions that typically haul out at the tourist destination.

Steller sea lions are among the largest pinnipeds in the world, and Chonkers lives up to the species' reputation. The animal is approximately twice the size of the biggest California sea lion visible on the Pier 39 docks, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

Pier 39 harbor master Sheila Chandler said the animal has made an unmistakable impression on both the other sea lions and the human visitors. "He's so much bigger. He's literally twice the size of the biggest California sea lion that you can see out there. And he's very mellow," Chandler said. "He doesn't have to go up against any of the others to prove who's dominant. It's sort of an implied yes."

The species' considerable bulk is a product of its natural environment. "They're so big because they dive deep and they swim in much colder waters than even here in San Francisco Bay. So they need all that blubber for sure," Chandler said.

Steller sea lions range broadly across the Pacific — well beyond the temperate waters of the California coast. "They swim in waters from Japan all the way down the coast here, the Pacific coast," Chandler said. "They may look like lumbering giants when they're hauled out, but in the water, they're deep diving, fast mammals."

The animal was last spotted Tuesday morning around 9 a.m. Word of the unusual visitor has spread quickly. "People are coming. They're hearing about him, and they're coming down to see him in larger crowds, for sure," Chandler said.

Visitors unable to make the trip in person can watch via a KGO live stream from a Pier 39 tower camera. Steller sea lions are not typically seen in San Francisco Bay, which lies outside their preferred colder, deeper-water habitat.