Cheeky sea lion hitches a ride on the back of fishermen’s speedboat and tucks into their catch
- The sea lion perched itself on the back ledge of a fishing boat off coast of Mexico
- Footage shows the mammal helping itself to food while a fisherman pats its back
- The playful animal basks in the bright sunshine as it is tugged along by the boat
- Fisherman who took video ‘remained in shock for several hours’ after encounter
This is the hilarious moment a brazen sea lion took a relaxing cruise in the sunshine by leaping onto the back of a fishing boat off the coast of Mexico.
The sea mammal quickly makes itself at home, cheekily tucking into the fishermen’s catch and emptying the livewell – a tank designed to keep bait and caught fish alive.
Footage shows the fishermen shocked by their discovery while sailing on the Sea of Cortez, with one exclaiming: ‘Get out of there!’
The brazen sea lion hitches itself onto the back ledge of a fishing boat (left) off the coast of Mexico, before cheekily tucking into the fishermen’s catch (right) and emptying the livewell
One of the fisherman stroke and pat the sea lion as it remains perched on the back ledge. The person who filmed the video said he ‘remained in shock’ for several hours afterwards
The sea lion perches further up onto the back ledge as it continues helping itself to the food, with one fisherman stroking and patting its back.
The playful animal stays hitched onto the back of the boat, basking in the bright sunshine while being tugged along.
The fisherman who filmed the video on February 14 told Newsflare: ‘I’ve never had an encounter with any wild animal like this before.
‘My group was literally in shock – all of us – and remained in shock for several hours after that encounter.
The sea mammal appeared to bask in the bright sunshine as it was tugged along by the fishing boat, after returning to seek out more of the fishermen’s catch
‘It was more thrilling than catching the 7ft, 120lb marlin that was also in the boat!
‘This sea lion moments earlier jumped into our boat and emptied our livewell of fish.
‘He returned to make sure he got them all.’