Argentine fishermen working off the coast of Mar del Plata were awakened by a sea lion snoring inside a bed in their boat cabin.
The crew of fishermen were carrying out their daily occupations on Sunday, Aug. 2, when one sailor present in the cabin heard a strange noise. The sound did not belong to a snoring colleague, but to an exhausted sea lion resting on a lower bunk bed.
The crew members had not seen the animal board the vessel until its loud snoring woke them up. Video footage of the sleeping mammal recorded by the fishermen was published online a few days later and quickly spread around the world.
In the video, the fishermen were hilarious and laughed at the comical situation as they filmed the sea lion peacefully asleep in the narrow cabin. One fisherman exclaimed to the others to look at how comfortable the sea lion looked while sleeping.
Reactions to the sea lion sleeping in the cabin
Another sailor analyzed the behavior of the animal, saying it was not possible and pointing out how its arm was positioned, adding that he knew that sleeping posture well. Social media users found a strong resemblance between the animal's behavior and that of a person returning home and collapsing on their bed after a long day of work.
Online commenters also joked that the fishermen had gained a new member in their boat crew. Finding a wild animal resting inside a vessel bed is not necessarily exceptional along the coast.
Why sea lions board vessels off the coast
Sea lions are naturally very curious creatures and regularly probe their environment to seek out the best possible place to rest. A sailor's bunk bed turns out to be far more comfortable for the mammal than a typical rock.
Another factor explaining the presence of the sea lion on the vessel is the food stored on board by the sailors, which frequently attracts hungry mammals searching for something to eat.
