A cheetah playing hide and seek with an antelope, bears hugging it out, and a fish inexplicably chasing an eagle across the sky, the shortlisted finalists in this year's Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards are a marvellous celebration of the lighter side of nature.
I took this photo of a dancing sifaka in Madagascar; as it ran towards us, it created all sorts of funny shapes. But this one was the best, it looks to me like it is practising its bowling action ready for an England call-up!
© Andy Rouse / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
Selected from a massive pool of just under 9,000 entries from 98 countries, expert judges winnowed the list down to just 40 standalone images, 4 portfolio entries and 3 video entries that are in the running to take home the grand prize.
"These images capture not only the humour and charm of wildlife, but also highlight the importance of conservation in a way that resonates with people of all ages and from all different walks of life," says Stefan Maier, Nikon Europe Senior General Manager Marketing. "At Nikon, we are immensely proud to be part of a competition that brings both joy and awareness to the wonder of our natural world."
Co-founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam, the awards aim to combine exceptional wildlife photography and the positive power of humour to help promote the conservation of wild species and spaces.
Here's a look at some of our favourite shortlisted images (for more about the competition and to cast your vote in the Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award, visit the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards website):
On safari in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania we hung around a Kopji of rocks because there were lion cubs being nursed when this action happened. I was just lucky enough to catch it. I have this image printed and hung on a wall of my home, everybody who sees it laughs at it.
© Scott Frier / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
A tiny raccoon is telling a secret to its mum while whispering in her ear.
© Jan Piecha / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
I photographed this nutria directly from the canoe. It was busy grooming itself.
© Christopher Arnold / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
Two Cape Fur seals having a laugh,
© Marti Phillip Rouse / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
Our parents always find a way to embarrass us, I guess that's also true in the case of spotted owlets. It was truly a funny sight to see two owlets trying to get some privacy as their little offspring stood next to them.
© Sarthak Ranganadhan / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
When the squirrel entered, he removed his feet from the trunk for a moment, and for that moment it seemed as if he was blocked at the entrance to the burrow.
© Milko Marchetti / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
Shot in the jungles of Uganda, following a group of around 50 chimpanzees. This one was obviously contemplating an important issue ...
© Arvind Mohandas / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
We were on safari in Kenya and happened upon this beautiful female who was looking for a mate. A group of topi were also keeping a pretty close eye on her as she left messages for a potential partner on various trees. This shot makes me think that the cheetah is just about to shout out, "ready or not, here I come!"
© Leslie McLeod / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
Ground squirrel (local name Zeisel) calling to family that he's found food.
© Kath Aggiss / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
This newborn seal seems to be laughing at a good joke.
© Ingo Hamann / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
Hajime! This is the term used by the referee in Judo to invite opponents to start fighting. Here, the standing bear seems to be saying this to the other two, adopting the gesture that referees use when they say this word.
© Philippe Ricordel / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
Every annoyed and overtired fish needs to de-stress by hunting for a bald eagle.
© Przemyslaw Jakubczyk / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
On the penguin highway, these rockhoppers are moving into town, and this town ain't big enough for all of them! I set up my camera a good distance from this ridge, where rockhopper penguins were returning from feeding in the southern Atlantic ocean in the Falkland Islands. The long lens pulled them into the frame without disturbing their return to nests on the hill.
© Ralph Robinson / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
This picture was taken in 2015 during my first visit to the Farne Islands (UK). The islands were full of puffins, kittywakes, shags, guillemots and razorbills, and I never before and since then have taken so many photos in such a short time. I think I really "saw" this image only later that day when I checked my haul.
© Jörn Clausen / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
This doe had got up on her hind legs to grab some leaves from the tree to eat, but when she got back down on all fours, she suddenly let go of the branch and took a cold shower on the head.
© Corentin Revel / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
This image was taken in South Georgia, it really does show a male king penguin trying to make a move on a female who has already paired up with her male. The body position and wing posture make the message clear - "back off!"
© Andy Rouse / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
Whiskered tern hits a rock when try to land.
© Damyan Petkov / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
A white-tailed eagle ruffling its feathers. The picture was taken with the Nikon Z9's autocapture feature. The camera was placed on top of the sea ice on top of a bag of nuts at the level of the ice. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this picture. There were more than ten funny poses and expressions in the photo series.
© Tapani Linnanmäki / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
Funny
Funny
Funny
