One of San Francisco’s most popular attractions just got bigger! New on PIER 39 is the Sea Lion Center, a nature center dedicated to educating visitors about San Francisco’s world-famous sea lions.
The new Sea Lion Center on PIER 39 features interactive displays, educational videos, fascinating presentations and genuine artifacts such as sea lion pelts, skulls and even a life-size sea lion skeleton. Photo courtesy of Aquarium of the Bay
BC Staff Report
Published: January, 2014
One of San Francisco’s most popular attractions just got bigger! New on PIER 39 is the Sea Lion Center, a nature center dedicated to educating visitors about San Francisco’s world-famous sea lions. The Sea Lion Center, operated and managed by Aquarium of the Bay (also on PIER 39), offers a space for guests to learn all about the sea lions that inhabit the docks at the end of the pier.
A place for all things sea lion, the Sea Lion Center features interactive displays, educational videos, fascinating presentations and genuine artifacts such as sea lion pelts, skulls and even a life-size sea lion skeleton. Once you get to know the California sea lions from inside the Center, you can step outside to see them for yourself. The Sea Lion Center explores the history of the sea lions at PIER 39, their role in the ecosystem and how we can affect the sea lions.
Join the Aquarium if the Bay for the grand opening of the Sea Lion Center on Friday, January 17. The grand opening will be celebrated alongside of the Sea Lion Encounter, a four-day event from January 17-20 commemorating the 24th anniversary of the sea lions’ arrival to PIER 39. Hosted by PIER 39 and in partnership with Aquarium of the Bay and the Marine Mammal Center, the Sea Lion Encounter will include free educational walking tours that end at the Sea Lion Center with refreshments, various discounts, plus a chance to meet Salty the Sea Lion. To find out more about the Sea Lion Center, visit www.sealioncenter.org.
About the Sea Lions:
Shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake hit San Francisco in October 1989, a few California sea lions began "hauling out" at PIER 39’s K-Dock. By January 1990, droves of boisterous, barking sea lions completely took over K-Dock. This takeover provided a challenge for PIER 39’s marina tenants, who then had to navigate around large, sunbathing sea lions to reach their boats. The marina staff turned to the Marine Mammal Center, a local rescue and rehabilitation hospital, for advice about these new, noisy tenants. Since sea lions are protected by the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Marine Mammal Center recommended that no action be taken to disturb the animals. Specialists from the center gave advice and training on techniques to move safely on the docks; after all, this was likely a temporary phenomenon.
The sea lions’ antics delighted the public. International news about the aftermath of the earthquake gave way to news about "slippery sea lions lounging on a dock of the Bay" and the tourists flocked to PIER 39. The number of sea lions grew to a rollicking 400 animals by March 1990, the boats were permanently moved, and the sea lions have never left.
Like us, California sea lions are predators and enjoy variety in their diet. They feed on squid, octopus, herring, rockfish, salmon, anchovies and more. They are considered "opportunistic feeders," eating available prey rather than focusing on one species. PIER 39’s convenient location near the Bay entrance provides the sea lions easy access to the ocean to feed on schooling fish like anchovies and herring. Plus, the shallow, less salty Bay waters provide some protection from predators like white sharks.
This doesn’t mean that these sea lions are invincible, however. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to observe suffering sea lions entangled in nets, fishing line or packing straps. Sea lions are curious creatures and use their noses to investigate floating objects, causing the plastic line, net or strap to get caught around their necks. Sadly, entangled animals may eventually perish from infection, strangulation or malnutrition. Other human-caused problems for sea lions include ingestion of plastic trash and gunshot wounds.
Fortunately, there are a lot of things that we can do to help the sea lions from meeting these fates, including using less plastic, joining local coastal cleanups and supporting organizations working to reduce marine debris and plastic pollution. Everyone can help by doing their part. To find out more about the sea lions and what you can do, visit the new Sea Lion Center on PIER 39.
