{"id":556456,"date":"2026-05-07T16:19:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T16:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/winklersart.com\/?p=556456"},"modified":"2026-05-07T16:19:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T16:19:46","slug":"chonkers-the-enormous-sea-lion-attracted-throng-to-san-franciscos-renowned-pier-39-then-a-new-plump-sensation-usurped-his-identity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/winklersart.com\/?p=556456","title":{"rendered":"Chonkers the Enormous Sea Lion Attracted Throng to San Francisco’s Renowned Pier 39. Then, a New Plump Sensation Usurped His Identity"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Steller sea lion made a rare appearance at the pier, typically frequented by smaller California sea lions. Nevertheless, he might have departed days prior, during which a colossal individual of the more common species misled observers<\/h2>\n
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\n Sara Hashemi
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Chonkers, a Steller sea lion, is significantly larger than his smaller California sea lion companions.
\n AP Photo \/ Haven Daley<\/span>
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Since mid-March, a gigantic Steller sea lion affectionately dubbed\u00a0Chonkers\u00a0has been attracting crowds to San Francisco\u2019s Pier 39.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s like a Volkswagen! He\u2019s just so enormous!\u201d says Oluwaseyi Akinbobola, a visitor from Los Angeles who rushed to the pier hoping to see the famous animal, to Janie Har and Haven Daley at the\u00a0Associated Press. \u201cI have heard everywhere about this giant sea lion, and I enjoy seeing unusual things, so I just thought I\u2019d come and take a look.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, on May 7, the San Francisco Chronicle\u2019s Caleb Pershan reported that Chonkers hadn\u2019t been spotted for several days\u2014and that a rather large California sea lion, which is the more common species seen basking on the floating platforms at the pier, had unintentionally impersonated him and confused observers.<\/p>\n

San Franciscans are quite familiar with sea lions at Pier 39, as the smaller California species has been gathering there since late 1989. By early the following year, they had essentially taken over a dock.<\/p>\n

Chonkers, on the other hand, is a Steller sea lion, a species found in the northern Pacific Ocean, extending from northern Japan to central California. These are the largest of the \u201ceared seals,\u201d a category that includes all sea lions and fur seals. Males can reach lengths of approximately\u00a011 feet\u00a0and weigh as much as 2,500 pounds\u2014roughly three times the weight of male California sea lions. Thus, when Chonkers appeared, he certainly attracted attention.<\/p>\n

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Interesting fact: California sea lions are growing larger<\/p>\n

In 2023, researchers determined that males of the species are becoming larger\u2014despite their thriving population leading to increased competition for food. This growth may stem from their ability to consume a diverse range of foods, with one scientist describing them as \u201cthe raccoons of the sea.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very clear if you\u2019ve seen the photographs that one of these animals is not like the others,\u201d says\u00a0Adam Ratner, director of conservation engagement at the Marine Mammal Center in California, to Bethany Augliere at\u00a0National Geographic. Experts estimate that Chonkers weighs between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds.<\/p>\n

Laura Gill, the public programs manager at the Marine Mammal Center, informs Livia Albeck-Ripka at the New York Times that Chonkers likely traveled about 30 miles from a breeding colony in the Farallon Islands off the coast of San Francisco, swimming beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and into the San Francisco Bay.<\/p>\n

Chonkers possibly ventured to Pier 39 for two primary motives: sustenance and relaxation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an excellent location to rest and relax, and there\u2019s an abundance of food nearby,\u201d Ratner tells\u00a0National Geographic<\/em>. \u201cThat\u2019s what makes Pier 39 unique\u2014it\u2019s a safe environment, away from predators,\u201d he adds. Sharks and orcas typically do not enter the Bay\u2019s shallow waters, and the floating platforms provide sea lions a comfy spot to lounge.<\/p>\n

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Giant Steller sea lion ‘Chonkers’ makes a splash in San Francisco<\/p>\n

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Moreover, Chonkers could indulge in the abundant anchovies, herring, and rockfish in the waters. That\u2019s essentially the lifestyle of a male sea lion outside of the breeding season,\u00a0says Sharon Melin, a biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, to\u00a0National Geographic<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re in winter mode, just putting on weight,\u201d she states. \u201cSo, he\u2019s just lounging around\u2014and might be curious why [the other sea lions] departed. They prefer to be near other animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

The impressive sea lion has united the San Francisco community, mentions resident Danielle Ovadia to the\u00a0AP. \u201cHe\u2019s absolutely delightful, and he\u2019s literally gigantic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chonkers has frequented the well-known sea lion stop for the last 15 years, states Sheila Chandor, harbor master at Pier 39 since 1985, to the\u00a0Times.<\/em>\u00a0However, he normally stays for just a handful of days.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he\u2019s positioned on the dock, he contrasts so drastically in size compared to the others,\u201d Chandor remarks. \u201cHe makes them all appear like tiny kittens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, it seems the enormous sensation may have moved on for the season\u2014but his absence went largely unnoticed for several days. The case of mistaken identity was brought to light when a\u00a0San Francisco Chronicle<\/em> photographer, Bront\u00eb Wittpenn, believed she captured images of the internet-famous animal on Monday. However, upon closer inspection, she and her editors discovered that the sea lion appeared smaller and lighter in hue than Chonkers, as reported by the outlet.<\/p>\n

Pier 39 spokesperson Sue Muzzin confirmed to the Chronicle<\/em> that the photographed creature was indeed not Chonkers. Ratner advised the publication that the animal isn\u2019t even a Steller sea lion.<\/p>\n

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People mistakenly believed this large California sea lion to be Chonkers.
\n Bront\u00eb Wittpenn \/ San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI\u2019m heartbroken,\u201d Wittpenn comments to the outlet, expressing her disappointment over the confusion. \u201cI feel deceived.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps sea lion enthusiasts will have the opportunity to see Chonkers again next year.\u00a0<\/p>\n