The ‘world’s funniest wildlife photography competition’ has revealed its shortlist, showing nature at its comedic best
Good comedy is all about timing, and for proof look no further than the photographs shortlisted for this year’s Comedy Wildlife Awards.
Slapstick and silly, they reveal a different side to nature, capturing fleeting shots of wildlife at funny and improbable moments. Like the gorilla dancing in the jungle (main picture), the gull emptying its bowels on a white-tailed eagle, the gurning bear, and the duck that looks like it’s smoking – all once-in-a-lifetime money shots that photographers could never plan for.
But there is a serious side to the “world’s funniest wildlife photography competition”. A tenth of the profits from this year’s competition go to the Whitley Fund for Nature, which over the last three decades has funnelled £24m to grassroots conservationists who are quietly “saving the world”.
“These images combine wit and wonder to celebrate nature’s character, while emphasising the urgency of conservation,” said Stefan Maier of Nikon Europe, which sponsors the award. “[They] spark joy while reminding us why our wild world is worth protecting.”
According to Tom Sullam, co-founder of the Comedy Wildlife Awards, the annual gong received a record number of entries this year.
A crowned sifakas licks its finger suggestively in Madagascar. Image: Liliana Luca/Nikon Comedy Wildlife
“[We are] reaching more people in more countries than ever before, helping us raise awareness of animal and habitat conservation and crucially, highlight the fundamental importance of having wildlife on our planet and in our lives,” he said.
The Comedy Wildlife Awards shortlist comes a week after London’s Natural History Museum announced the finalists for its Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award. The annual competition also received a record number of entries, highlighting the growing interest in the natural world.
The Comedy Wildlife Awards will announce its winners on 9 December at an event in London, which will be followed by a brief exhibition (10-14 December) at the Oxo Gallery, where all the finalists will be displayed.
The People’s Choice Award will be open from 10 December until 1 March 2026 for the public to vote on their favourite, with the winner being announced 12 March.
Main image: A gorilla cuts some shapes in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Credit: Mark Meth-Cohn/Nikon Comedy Wildlife
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