Sea Lion 28th Anniversary Walking Tours: Opening Day | Pier 39

Join PIER 39 to celebrate the 34th Anniversary of the sea lions’ arrival on January 19, 2024.

In past years, they’ve hosted free guided tours or a live celebration. In 2024, a celebration is happening on January 19, but details haven’t been announced yet.

Celebrate 34 Years of Sea Lions at PIER 39
Friday, January 19, 2024
PIER 39
Free – Watch the Sea Lions Live

To view the Sea Lion LIVE webcam, press the “GO LIVE” button. From there, you can press “Control” to choose a position, snap a screenshot, pause it or enter a full-screen mode.

THE SEA LION STORY & LIVE WEBCAM

A few California sea lions began “hauling out” on PIER 39’s K-Dock shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake hit San Francisco in October 1989. By January 1990, the boisterous barking pinnipeds started to arrive in droves and completely took over K-Dock, much to the exasperation of PIER 39’s Marina tenants.

The Marina Staff turned to The Marine Mammal Center, an organization devoted to the rescue and rehabilitation of marine mammals, for advice about their new slippery tenants. After much debate and research, the experts from The Marine Mammal Center recommended that the sea lions stay in their newfound home.

With a plentiful supply of food from the Bay and an environment protected from predators, the PIER 39 Marina proved to be an ideal living situation for the sea lions. Within a few short months, the number of sea lions grew to more than 300 and hit an all-time record of 1,701 in November 2009.

While the number of sea lions at K-Dock rise and fall with the seasons, available food supply and natural migration patterns, the world famous sea lions always have a home at PIER 39.

Read more at Pier 39