Massive sea lion named Chonkers is capturing hearts in this coastal city

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - A sea lion named Chonkers is capturing hearts and making waves on social media.

Laying amid the dozens of sea lions on Pier 39 in San Francisco, California, Chonkers stands out in the crowd because of his - you guessed it - chunkiness.

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Chonkers is enormous compared to the rest of the sea lions that gather daily to sunbathe and rest on the pier's K-dock.

The 2,000-pound steller sea lion is a different species than his dockmates, and he weighs nearly twice as much.

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Steller sea lions can weigh up to 2,500 pounds, while California sea lions tend to be up to 900 pounds, according to the Marine Mammal Center.

Male steller sea lions can grow up to 11 feet in length and weigh almost 2,500 pounds. Females are much smaller and may grow to 9 feet in length and weigh 1,000 pounds.

The Marine Mammal Center said adult male steller sea lions have a bulky build and a very thick neck with longer fur that resembles a lion's mane, hence the name "sea lion."

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The sea lion was first reported at Pier 39 on March 13. Stellar sea lions aren't as common as California sea lions in the area, but the Marine Mammal Center said it isn't the first time it's happened.

Steller sea lions have been reported at Pier 39 before, most notably May 2023, the center said. The species, especially males, can travel long distances in a season.

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The Marine Mammal Center said steller sea lions are similar in appearance to California sea lions and are sometimes confused with them. But the animal is much larger and lighter in color.

They need undisturbed land habitat to rest, molt, socialize, mate, give birth and nurse small pups during breeding season, which runs from mid-May to mid-July.

The Marine Mammal Center said steller sea lions are highly social animals and may rest in large groups, including with California sea lions, overlapping their bodies.

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It's important to note that at this time of year, large steller males are often more underweight than normal as they typically, but not always, consume less food during this time, sometimes fasting for up to two months, according to the Marine Mammal Center.

Experts said they consume a wide range of prey, foraging and feeding primarily at night both near and offshore, including several types of fish, squid and octopuses.

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"While we're keeping an eye on ocean temperatures, it's really too early at this point to say whether that'd be a contributing factor," Marine Mammal Center Associate Director of Public Relations Giancarlo Rulli said. "There has not been any real impact to other marine mammal species we respond to so far."

Pier 39 said a few California sea lions started lounging out shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake hit San Francisco in October 1989. By the following January, the animals started to arrive in droves and completely took over the K-dock.