Group of sea lions set up extended residency in Vancouver's Coal Harbour

Between the sea planes, and the boats and the tourists, there is usually a lot going on in Coal Harbour – but a group of visitors from California have become the centre of attention lately.

About 15 to 20 California sea lions have made the area around the Vancouver Rowing Club in Stanley Park their home since early December.

"I was running and I heard a ton of noise so I stopped. I was like I need to look at this,” said Anna Paynter, a tourist from Tacoma, Washington. “There was a bunch of huge sea lions. It was super cool."

Male California sea lions typically migrate north in the winter and are frequent visitors to Burrard Inlet and Howe Sound – but an extended Coal Harbour residency is a special treat for nature lovers.

"It is an El Niño year, so water temperatures are up, so animals are moving in somewhat abnormal ways, as in uncommon ways, because of temperature changes in water so prey might be in different places and they might be following the prey,” said Dr. Martin Haulena, executive director of the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre.

Haulena says adult male California sea lions can weigh up to 350 kilograms.

They frequently haul themselves out of the water to rest on rocks, beaches and even docks – but anyone who happens upon one of the massive mammals is advised to keep their distance.

“They have big teeth and defensively they can be aggressive. Give animals their space. And that's for human safety as well as safety for animals,” Haulena said. “Unfortunately, we do get a number of animals that are hit by boats, either propellers or blunt trauma, brought into our rescue facility so we try to avoid that.”

One California sea lion actually does make its permanent home in B.C. waters – at the Vancouver Aquarium.

"An adult male. He was a gunshot animal that was brought to us some years ago now,” Haulena said. “Cinco is his name. He was blinded by that so he's non-releasable and he lives here. He's a great guy."

The herd of wild visitors in Coal Harbour could choose to move on at anytime or stick around until the spring, when the marine mammals are expected to return to California for mating season