Chonkers the giant sea lion steals the show at Pier 39
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The magnificent Chonkers with his harem of fans. Image: Courtesy of Pier 39
San Francisco has a new "sea-lebrity."
State of play: Chonkers, a 2,000-pound Steller sea lion, has taken the internet by storm since he was first sighted lounging at Pier 39 about three weeks ago.
- Extra furry with an outrageous belly and bear-like muzzle, he was quickly dubbed "Chonkus Maximus," "Chungus Maximus," "Big Boi" and even Mr. "Steal Your Girl" on Reddit.
Chonkers typically comes to Pier 39 every two years and stays for a few days, according to harbormaster Sheila Chandor.
- This year, however, he has stuck around to cash in on the food fest as San Francisco hits peak anchovy season.
Zoom in: Chonkers is a Steller — a different species from the usual 200- to 800-pound sea lions lounging about. Stellers like him grow up to 11 feet long and up to 2,500 pounds, and they're more frequently spotted in Washington or Alaska.
- His daily routine — showing up at the docks in the early-morning hours before diving into the waters to fish — has earned him the nickname "Morning Glory" among pier workers, according to Pier 39 spokesperson Sue Muzzin.
The intrigue: Despite his mega stature, Chonkers is a "pretty mellow guy," Muzzin told Axios. "He likes to sun himself on the floats, and then he eats, and then he's happy."
- He's also pretty beloved among his fellow sea lions, who aren't shy about cuddling up to him — though if he looks like he's about to flip over, "everyone's getting the hell out of the way," Muzzin said.
- "You don't want to get trapped under 1,800 pounds of pure blubber" or flung into frigid waters against your will, Chandor added.
Fun fact: Chonkers is not the first sea lion to cause a stir at Pier 39.
- There was Chippy, who swam up to San Francisco in 2004 after reaching celebrity status for jumping on the trunk of a police patrol car.
- Sharky, whose daring escape from a great white shark was marked by a big bite out of his side, was also a talker when he visited the pier, according to Chandor.
Now's your chance to get an eyeful of Chonkers before he moves on from our waters! Check out the Pier 39 live cam to keep track of the big guy.