Sea lion numbers surge at popular California pier, reaching 15-year high [Video]

• San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf district is experiencing a surge in sea lions, with more than 1,000 counted this week.
• The sea lions have remained a tourist attraction since appearing at Pier 39 after a 1989 earthquake.
• Harbormaster Sheila Chandor attributes the sea lion influx to the abundant food, suggesting they are preparing for mating season.

They’re lounging, biting each other and generally making a ruckus in numbers not seen in more than a decade. And don’t even think about stealing their anchovies.

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 — marine mammals that make loud barking calls and can weight up to a half-ton — crashing at the pier fluctuates over the seasons. On most days more than a hundred can be …