Blubber blunder! Hilarious moment walrus takes comedic tumble off harbour pontoon after big stretch

These hilarious pictures capture the moment a walrus took an unexpected tumble into the sea - after stretching a little too far during a lazy nap on a harbour pontoon.

Photographer Liam McBride, 46, from Elgin, Moray, in northeast Scotland, was out driving in search of wildlife to photograph when he heard Magnus, a male walrus that has been spotted along the Moray coast in recent weeks, had reappeared near Findochty Harbour, a small fishing village on the Moray Firth.

The walrus has drawn plenty of attention after recent sightings across northern Scotland, including Lossiemouth Marina, where people were urged to keep their distance while he rested.

Liam headed to Findochty Harbour on Tueday morning (27th), hoping to catch a glimpse - and ended up capturing a comedy wildlife moment that has already gone viral online.

The sequence of images shows Magnus peacefully snoozing on the edge of a floating pontoon between the boats before waking up and launching into a huge stretch.

But the giant marine mammal appeared to misjudge the edge, tipping backwards with all four flippers in the air before crashing dramatically into the water with a huge splash.

Liam said: “He had been sleeping quite peacefully on the pontoon and then suddenly started waking up and having this enormous stretch.

“I could see exactly what was about to happen and thought, ‘he’s definitely going in here’ - thankfully I was ready with the camera.

“The next second he just toppled backwards and disappeared into the water with a massive splash. Everyone standing around burst out laughing - it was absolutely brilliant.”

One frame shows Magnus balanced awkwardly on the edge with his flippers pointing skyward, while another captures the full splashdown as water erupts around him beside the moored boats.

Liam said the scene was made even better by the reaction from the crowd watching.

He added: “People were already excited just to see him because walrus sightings around here always get people talking.

“But when he rolled straight off the pontoon like that, everyone was laughing. It was like watching someone fall out of bed.”

After posting the images on social media, Liam said the response was immediate, with people delighted to see the clumsy and surprisingly relatable moment.

He said: “The photos have gone a bit viral already and people seem to love them.

“I think everyone enjoys seeing wildlife having these funny little moments - especially something as unusual as a walrus taking a tumble like that.”

Experts have previously urged the public to give walruses plenty of space during these visits, as they rely heavily on undisturbed rest while travelling through unfamiliar waters.

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