Sea lion barges startled hotel guest off his sun lounger in hilarious vid

THIS is the hilarious moment a sea lion brazenly took a dip in a hotel pool before pinching a bemused guest’s sunbed as gobsmacked tourists watched on.

Cheeky Wendy and her pup Lulu are regular guests at the exclusive resort in the Galapagos Islands and are known at the hotel for their antics.

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Comical footage captured by a holidaymaker shows the cute creature hauling herself up some steps from the sea to the facility’s outdoor area.

Wendy then invaded the hotel’s pool – diving in head first without a second thought.

But after a speedy cruise through the water, the sassy sea lion then sprung out of the water and made a beeline for the only sun lounger sat on by a guest.

The amusing clip shows the confused tourist quickly jumping to his feet as Wendy barges him out the way and nabs his seat.

He can be seen grabbing his towel off the sunbed in a hurry before throwing his arm in the air in confusion as Wendy makes herself comfortable.

Tourists at the hotel are warned about Wendy and are asked to try to stay at least six feet away from the sun lounger stealer.

Guests are also warned to avoid attempting to stroke or feed Wendy and her pup – who often spend hours sprawled out in the sun on the hotel’s recliners.

And there’s a good reason holidaymakers are told to keep their distance, as the slippery sea creatures have a troublesome track record of attacking humans

The mammals’ dangerous reputation is often overshadowed by more formidable beasts lurking in the ocean and their inclusion in circuses and shows – meaning they are easily underestimated.

Their curious nature is often mistaken as friendliness by swimmers, with many forgetting their animal instincts will always reign supreme.

Humans are playing an underwater game of Russian roulette by taking a dip into their environment – no matter how many cute cartoons you may have seen.

Although attacks are rare, coming within 8ft of the beasts can have disastrous consequences.

Their speed, power and unsettling element of surprise make them a terrifying opponent in their underwater territory – and on land.

One sea lion managed to become an overnight sensation by demonstrating such cunning abilities back in May 2017.

The beast dragged a little girl from behind off a Candian dock in British Columbia in front of horrified holidaymakers.

In another horrifying incident, a 13-year-old girl was mauled by one of the mammals as she frolicked in the ocean in 2019.

Oblivious Megan Pagnini was knee-deep in the ocean at Pismo Beach, California, while her pals filmed her in front of the sunset.

The extraordinary clip shows the sea lion suddenly springing out of the water and attacking the teen as her friends watched in horror.

It managed to tear a deep chunk out of her leg during the terrifying incident – while changing her opinion of the seemingly cuddly creature.

But animal rights campaigners rushed to the sea lion’s defence – reminding people they “are not circus performers and not trained to be next to people.”

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