Record number of sea lions have crashed on San Francisco's Pier 39, the most counted in 15 years

(3 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
San Francisco - 2 May 2024
1. Various sea lions lounging at Pier 39 in Fisherman's Wharf
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2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sheila Chandor, Harbormaster, Pier 39:
"So the numbers that we're seeing right now are over a thousand. When they first came here historically in the early 90s, we did have these kinds of numbers. In fact, they got up to 1,700 sometimes. But over the years that's dwindled down to an average, I would say, of between 300 and 400 in the winter. And as the spring comes in, maybe up to 700. So you're looking at almost double the numbers. And the reason is there's a huge school of anchovy that was off the Farallon Islands that's in the bay right now. So it's all about the seafood. It's all about the food. These animals, a lot of them are on their way down south at the moment. A big herd of them are on the way down south for the mating season."
3. Various visitors watch and take pictures of sea lions
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4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sheila Chandor, Harbormaster, Pier 39:
"It's a very good way to put it, that they're fueling up for the mating season. It's spring. So they're ready to rock and roll down in the Channel Islands. And we're a nice little pit stop with some great seafood."
5. Various man-made barges full of sea lions
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6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sheila Chandor, Harbormaster, Pier 39:
"We actually built these here and we have to use three times the density of flotation that we do on the normal docks. These are custom made to support these guys. We've never had one sink or capsize yet. But yeah, I think we are close to our maximum for sure."
7. "Don't harass the sea lions" sign
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8. SOUNDBITE (English) Theresa Simbeck, Visitor from Germany:
"It is crazy. I've never seen that many sea lions in one place and it's awesome to see them. It's very loud, of course, but it's really nice to see all of them. And it's funny to watch them fight and relax in the sun."
9. Two sea lions appear to fight
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10. SOUNDBITE (English) Fiona Wilson, Visitor from England:
"It's not like in a zoo. They're not trapped. They can be here if they want to be here. But it's just so cool to see them all here. And it's so interesting. They're so loud!"
11. Hundreds of sea lions on several barges
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12. SOUNDBITE (English) Sheila Chandor, Harbormaster, Pier 39:
"The bay is very healthy right now. If it wasn't, we wouldn't see these kinds of numbers for sure. So it's good news all around."
13. Sea lion knocks another off a barge
STORYLINE:
They're lounging, biting each other and generally making a ruckus in numbers not seen in more than a decade.

San Francisco's famed Fisherman's Wharf district is seeing a surge in sea lions.

First appearing at Pier 39 after the 1989 earthquake, the sea lions have become a well known tourist attraction.

The number of sea lions crashing at the pier fluctuates over the seasons. On most days more than a hundred can be seen.

But this week, Pier 39 has counted more than one thousand sea lions, the most they've seen there in 15 years.

The barges the sea lions lounge on are designed to hold significant weight. But officials admit this current surge is testing their limits.

Biologists believe an unusually high number of anchovies in the Bay have attracted extra sea lions this Spring.



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