Sea Lion Alert! Why Are They In Sacramento?

Have you seen the sea lions?

By Marilyn Nelson on May 13, 2022
(Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images)

If you’re on a tight budget and looking for a bit of inexpensive (free) entertainment, pack up the family and take a field trip to see the sea lions downtown.

A herd of mostly male sea lions has been spotted making themselves very comfortable on West Sacramento’s public boat dock. They’ve also been spotted swimming and sunning themselves near Sacramento’s Tower Bridge.

Now that the word is out, the crowds are starting to grow. And, while the sea lions aren’t strangers to the area, they’re still a novelty.

Marine experts say there are several reasons the sea lions are calling Sacramento home, from rising populations to the time of year where the mammals are following salmon and other fish in the Sacramento River. And while sea lions are social and playful animals, experts say you should not feed them and stay at least 150 yards away.

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