1,000 sea lions gather at CA pier, video shows. ‘Like a National Geographic photograph’

Hundreds of sea lions have gathered at Pier 39 in San Francisco to feast on anchovy, delighting visitors to the tourist attraction, authorities told news outlets.

“It’s really a phenomenon,” Pier 39 harbormaster Sheila Chandor told SF Gate. “There are also a huge number of pelicans and a lot of anchovy in the bay. It’s like a National Geographic photograph right now.”

There are between 900 and 1,000 sea lions at the wharf, Chandor told McClatchy News. It’s the highest number of sea lions there in 15 years.

“There’s a big school of anchovy out there and it’s drawing the marine life,” Chandor said. “It’s really drawn a big crowd. It’s very unusual to see these numbers.”

Visitors to the iconic pier are amazed by the sight of hundreds of sea lions lounging on floating docks around the pier, news outlets reported.

“They are so funny and so nice, I love them. They are like pushing each other off into the water,” Aurora Zantile, a visitor from Italy, told KGO.

“Never seen this many sea lions in one place before,” visitor Les Oakes told KPIX. “It looks like a bunch of kids vying for a big spot on the couch.”

“It’s an incredible sight,” Chandor told McClatchy News. “It’s really fun to see.”

The influx of tourists has bolstered the recovery of businesses on the pier from the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.

Millions of people each year visit Pier 39, which features restaurants, shops, sailing, ferries, bicycle rentals, street performers and other attractions.

California sea lions can grow up to 7.5 feet long and weigh up to 700 pounds, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. They are a protected species.

This story was originally published May 1, 2024 at 10:59 AM with the headline "1,000 sea lions gather at CA pier, video shows. ‘Like a National Geographic photograph’."