Watch: Curious Puffin Befriends a Tourist | National Geographic

A tourist in the Shetland Isles, Scotland, made an unlikely friend—a puffin.

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Atlantic puffins live most of their lives at sea, and they only come onto land to breed. 60 percent of the world’s population lives in Iceland, and they have been historically hunted for their feathers and meat. The bird showed no signs of fear, even stopping under the tourist’s leg and tapping at her camera lens. After a few minutes the puffin wandered off, leaving the tourist with an unforgettable experience.

Read "Watch This Curious Puffin Befriend a Tourist."

Watch: Curious Puffin Befriends a Tourist | National Geographic

National Geographic

[chineseduckscriedinladakh]

His control over the urge to pet and cuddle the adorable bird is just tremendous!!

[greenmushroom]

"Puffins only come to land to breed".

*Puffin winks at the human.

[dcmc]

Love it. The photographer is wearing black, gray, and white with small touches of orange on the shoes and on the camera. That puffin was thinking, "This is the largest puffin I've ever seen!"

[zandytandy]

Look at it!!! Look how curious it is!! What a sweet bird 🥰

[marcelan_n]

omg... this video made me cry.. thar puffin..so inocent, so pure.... and the music, damn it - loved the video

[shiteyanyo]

I would have tried to pet it...it's just too cute!

[cherylc]

I've never heard of puffins until now. They're adorable!!! If I had been that woman, I would have tried, very gentlly, to pet it. It's just too cute to ignore. I'd love to hold one.

[सुमित-रय]

Such a beautiful and innocent creature of nature

[countroshculla]

I love puffins. They always look like they are upset about something but they are adorable.

[baja]

It's like a penguin-duck, two of my favorite animals ^__^

[blueeyeswhitedragon]

Puffins mate for life, and it is possible that this guy has lost its mate and is wandering about looking for its life long partner. Possibly even checking out the tourist as a possible replacement but finding the differences just too great.

[_krill]

Puffins are very curious and social fellas, it’d be my only wish to get so close to one of these winged sea critters.

[asermostafa]

Puffin, easily the most adorable animal.

[yitang]

I don’t think how to express how much I love puffins they are so adorable and gentle. Lucky enough to see them when I was in Iceland ❤❤❤❤

[miatreadwell]

aww beautiful, good she stayed calm and didn't scare it

[Trollbergnorth]

I live in Shetland and this was 100% genuine.

I've been to this area(Sumburgh Head) many times and the Puffins can be very unfazed.

Many tourists come here for the nature and have large DSLR cameras and lenses.

[clownofthesea]

A​ clown​ of​ the​ sea​ is​ the​ cutest, like​ me!​Thanks​ a​ lot.🦉🦉💕

[ninjabluewings]

Puffins, Penguins, Crows & Ravens the ULTIMATE BIRDY'S!!! 😍😍😍😍

[elizabethpadilla]

Puffins build their nest with their mates, I love puffins.

[lilAndrix]

The puffin is like: "Remember this day human that you even breath the same air as me."