Famous San Francisco sea lions leave in droves - Searching for Food? Or did they sense a coming Earthquake or other Disaster
Pastor Dale Morgan
Famous San Francisco sea lions leave in droves - Searching for Food? Or
did they sense a coming Earthquake or other Disaster*
By Evelyn Nieves, Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO � Two mysteries surround a huge herd of sea lions that
were hanging out on a pier in San Francisco Bay: Why did so many show
up, and why did so many leave at once?
Just last month, Pier 39, famous in San Francisco for its sea lions and
the throngs of tourists they attract, was groaning under the weight of
more than 1,500 of the animals. The record number delighted tourists and
baffled experts.
Marine experts suspect the sea lions came and stayed for the food, then
left largely for the same reason.
"Most likely, they left chasing a food source," said Jeff Boehm,
executive director of the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, which runs
an information center and gift shop at Pier 39. "It's probably what kept
them here in the first place."
The animals began leaving in droves late last month, almost as if
someone had issued an order. But Boehm said the fact that so many sea
lions stayed for so long is even stranger than their disappearance.
"They do move off," Boehm said, adding that in the fall, older sea lions
head to breeding colonies in the Channel Islands, off the coast of
Southern California. Younger sea lions, he said, "don't mind those rules
and tend to travel far and wide."
On Tuesday, 10 sea lions lounged and swam and dove from the docks,
spreading themselves out where the animals were stacked three and four
deep just a month ago. The bulk of the herd probably followed their
favorite foods, sardines and anchovies, Boehm said.
The younger ones still sticking around Pier 39 were enough to satisfy
hordes of visitors huddled against the wind to watch them. The sea lions
huddled together, dove off the docks, and honked and barked.
Despite the sea lions' abrupt disappearance, Boehm said the Marine
Mammal Center is not concerned that they have departed for good. While
more than the usual number have left � usually about 40 remain � it is
very unlikely, Boehm said, that they won't come back. By spring, the
herd will probably be back, as usual, he said.