SFGATE@SFGate
San Francisco resident Joe Lo, who works near Fisherman’s Wharf and often swings by Pier 39 after clocking out, first noticed a sea lion that seemed noticeably bigger than the rest on Saturday, March 14.
“He woke up and swam off and spooked the rest of the sea lions,” Lo told SFGATE. “I’d never seen one that huge before,” he added. “I thought it was an elephant seal.”
It turned out to be a Steller sea lion, a larger species that can reach up to 11 feet long and weigh as much as 2,500 pounds — about as heavy as a Toyota Prius. By comparison, a male California sea lion typically tops out around 7.5 feet and 700 pounds.
The substantial fellow has since left the area, Pier 39 told SFGATE.