Massive 2,000-pound sea lion shocks tourists at iconic US hot spot: 'He’s like a Volkswagen!'

He’s getting a "seal" of support — and stealing the spotlight.

A monolithic oversea lion nicknamed "Chonkers," estimated to measurement betwixt 1,500 and 2,000 pounds, is drafting crowds to San Francisco’s Pier 39, wherever the uncommon Steller oversea lion has been spotted lounging among overmuch smaller California oversea lions, according to The Marine Mammal Center.

The outsized marine mammal has rapidly go a must-see attraction, with visitors flocking to the fashionable waterfront destination for a glimpse of the unusually ample animal, whose beingness is uncommon compared to the pier’s emblematic oversea lion population.

The monolithic oversea lion dwarfs the smaller animals that typically assemblage the docks.

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Chonkers rests adjacent Pier 31 aft a agelong time of delighting tourists and visitors who came to drawback a glimpse of the monolithic Stellar oversea lion. (The Associated Press)

"He’s similar a Volkswagen! He’s truthful huge!" said visitant Oluwaseyi Akinbobola, who rushed to the pier hoping to spot the carnal aft proceeding astir it.

Experts estimation Chonkers weighs betwixt 1,500 and 2,000 pounds and apt traveled from waters disconnected Washington oregon Oregon, said Laura Gill, nationalist programs manager astatine The Marine Mammal Center successful adjacent Sausalito.

Visitors snapped photos and gathered on the pier Thursday greeting arsenic the tremendous oversea lion flopped onto the docks, surrounded by dozens of smaller California oversea lions that typically inhabit the area.

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Chonkers, a elephantine Steller oversea lion, lies connected a dock with different oversea lions astatine Fisherman's Wharf connected April 30. (Haven Daley/AP)

The protected docks connection structure from predators and unsmooth waves, on with an abundant nutrient proviso including anchovies, herring and rockfish, Gill said.

"There’s plentifulness of nutrient successful San Francisco Bay for them … a batch of casual prey for them," she said.

Despite his size, the Steller oversea lion has been seen attempting to snuggle among the smaller animals for warmth, though helium "sticks retired similar a sore thumb," Gill said.

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Chonkers, a elephantine Steller oversea lion, sits connected a dock astatine Fishermen's Wharf successful San Francisco connected April 30. (Haven Daley/AP)

Sea lions person gathered astatine Pier 39 since soon aft the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, whose epicenter was successful adjacent Santa Cruz County, erstwhile a tiny fig of animals began occupying the docks earlier increasing into a well-known tourer attraction.

Chonkers has been astir disposable successful the aboriginal greeting hours and tin beryllium hard to spot aboriginal successful the day, adding urgency for visitors hoping to drawback a glimpse.

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Officials accidental it remains to beryllium seen whether much Steller oversea lions volition follow, but for now, the oversized visitant has go an overnight, and possibly overweight sensation astatine 1 of San Francisco’s astir fashionable tourer destinations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.