San Francisco’s celebrity sea lion, Chonkers, has been making headlines since March after taking up temporary residence (and a whole lot of space) at Pier 39. As an enormous Steller sea lion weighing more than 1,500 pounds, he dwarfs the California sea lions that have called the pier home since 1990.
If you still haven’t had a chance to see Chonkers for yourself, it’s looking like you may have missed the window. The Marine Mammal Center told Discover Magazine that Chonkers hasn’t been spotted since May 1st, and he may have left to pursue other food sources or find a mate. Pier 39’s Harbor Master, Sheila Chandor, shared that Chonkers is an infrequent visitor to K-Dock every few years.
Luckily for Chonkers enthusiasts, the Bay Area is home to another giant pinniped: the northern elephant seal, with males reaching up to 6,000 pounds and females reaching up to 1,800 pounds, according to EBSCO. And one of the world’s largest mainland northern elephant seal colonies resides just about 1.5 hours away from SF at Año Nuevo.
Visiting Año Nuevo
Año Nuevo State Park is a year-round residence for up to 10,000 northern elephant seals, which you can visit on a three-to-four-mile coastal hike to the bluffs. The best season to see them is from December through March, when docents host guided tours for the breeding season.
During the rest of the year, visitors embark on self-guided walks to see the seals. Right now, the seals are in the middle of their molting season from April to August, when mostly females and juveniles come ashore to shed the outer layer of skin and fur.
The “fall juvenile haul out” is from September to November, when a small number of juveniles remain on the beaches before they take to the sea.
🌐 Learn more: Read our article for details about visiting Año Nuevo State Park.
📍 Address: 1 New Years Creek Rd, Pescadero, CA 94060
