Chonkers the Gigantic Steller Sea Lion Draws Crowds to Pier 39 ^45.2%

KQED - By Janie Har, Haven Daley, Associated Press - 5/1/2026, 11:13 PM

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An intrepid sea lion nicknamed Chonkers is waddling his way into the hearts of tourists and locals who have flocked to San Francisco’s Pier 39 for a glimpse of the massive pinniped. On Thursday morning, visitors snapped photos as the Steller sea lion flopped on the pier, surrounded by dozens of much smaller California sea lions that call... more