This is the hilarious moment a sea lion brazenly took a dip in a hotel pool before pinching a bewildered guest’s deckchair as stunned tourists watched.

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

7

7

Comedic footage captured by a holidaymaker shows the cute creature hauling herself up a few steps from the sea to the property’s outdoor area.

Wendy then stormed the hotel pool, diving headfirst without a second thought.

But after a quick cruise through the water, the sassy sea lion got out of the water and headed for the only guest-seated lounger.

The funny clip shows the confused tourist quickly jumping to his feet as Wendy ushers him out and grabs his seat.

He can be seen hastily grabbing his towel from the deckchair before throwing his arm in the air in confusion as Wendy makes herself comfortable.

Hotel tourists are warned of Wendy and asked to try to stay at least six feet away from the sun lounger thief.

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

And there’s a good reason vacationers are being told to keep their distance, as slippery sea creatures have a troublesome history of attacking humans.

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

Their curious nature is often mistaken for the friendliness of swimmers, with many forgetting that their animal instincts will always reign supreme.

Humans play an underwater game of Russian Roulette by diving into their surroundings – no matter how many cute cartoons you may have seen.

Although attacks are rare, coming within 2.4m of the beasts can have disastrous consequences.

Their speed, power, and unnerving surprise effect make them a terrifying adversary in their underwater territory – and on land.

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

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

In another horrific incident, a 13-year-old girl was mauled by one of the mammals while frolicking in the ocean in 2019.

Unconscious Megan Pagnini was knee-deep in the ocean at Pismo Beach, Calif., 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 teenage girl as her friends look on horrified.

He managed to rip a large chunk off his leg in the terrifying incident – while changing his opinion of the seemingly cuddly creature.

But animal rights activists have rushed to the sea lion’s defense – reminding people they ‘are not circus performers and are not trained to be around people’.

7

7

7

7