SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – They’re lounging, biting each other and overall making a lot of noise not seen in more than a decade. And don’t even think about stealing the anchovies.
Sea lions are rapidly increasing in San Francisco’s famous Fisherman’s Wharf area.
Sea lions first appeared on Pier 39 after the 1989 earthquake and have become a famous tourist attraction. The number of sea lions – loud, barking marine mammals that can weigh up to half a tonne – colliding with piers varies by season. More than 100 can be seen on most days.
But this week, Pier 39 port manager Sheila Chander counted more than 1,000 sea lions, the highest number seen in 15 years. Chander said swarms of anchovies, a favorite food of pinnipeds, brought them there.
“It’s all about seafood. It’s all about food,” Chander said. “A very nice way to put it is they’re conserving their energy for mating season. It’s spring. They’re ready to rock and roll in the Channel Islands, and we’ve got some great A great stop to get seafood.”
Indeed, the sea lion surge is expected to be only temporary. But the barges on which sea lions lounge are designed to withstand considerable weight, and officials acknowledge the current surge is testing that limit.
Biologists say the number of anchovies is particularly high in the bay, which appears to have attracted more sea lions this spring. Chander said the school of fish was off the coast of the Farallon Islands.
Meanwhile, shops and businesses in the area were hoping that the surge in sea lions would also encourage tourist shopping and draw more tourists to the area. Sea lion enthusiasts flock to the pier to catch a glimpse of the huge, noisy herd.
“I’ve never seen so many sea lions gathered in the same place. I heard about this place and came here a few minutes ago, and it was great to see them,” Germany said Theresa Shinbeck, a visitor from. “Of course it’s very noisy, but it’s really nice to see everyone. And it’s funny to watch them fight and relax in the sun.”
Chander said large numbers of sea lions have been visiting the pier in recent years, with about 1,700 arriving so far. Chander said there are typically 300 to 400 people in the winter and up to 700 in the spring.
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Associated Press writer Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report.
