Moss Landing Sea Lion Pier

Monterey is known for its beautiful wildlife as well as its charming history. One great way to learn all about the animals and creatures that call the area home is to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Another way to get up close and personal with nature is to see the Moss Landing sea lions and sea otters at the Moss Landing Pier.

While you can certainly see a Sea Lion at the zoo, it’s also fun to spot them in nature. Moss Landing, located between San Francisco and Monterey California is a well known spot to see many Sea Lions soaking up the sun at the Moss Landing Pier. In fact, it’s said that over 400 sea lions have made the pier their home. In addition to spotting numerous sea lions, you may also be lucky enough to spot a sea otter as well. In the wild, sea otters are much more rare though Moss Landing is lucky enough to have sea otters nearby. In order to get to the pier, go to the Moss Landing Harbor District which is located at 7881 Sandholdt Road in Moss Landing, CA.

The California sea lion is native to western North America and is one of six species of sea lion. Sea lions enjoy a number of different types of food including fish and squid. Sea lions are known for being quite smart and they can be trained to perform various types of tasks and are known for showing limited fear of humans if they have grown accustomed to them. Sea lions have external ear flaps, which sets them apart from a species of seals known as true seals. The average lifespan of sea lions is approximately 20 years and females can grow up to 6.5 feet long and weigh up to 400 pounds. Male sea lions on the other hand, tend to be larger than females and can grow to be up to 8 feet long and can weigh up to 800 pounds.