The funniest entries in the 2022 Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards

There's only a week left to enter this year's Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards and the organisers recently released some of the chuckle-worthy frontrunners in line for the 2022 prize. A laughing moose, a sleepy squirrel and a pair of particularly dramatic kangaroos are featured in the sneak peek of top images.

Down to the right a bit. Yes that’s it. Ooh that’s better!". The young western grey kangaroos were having a play and it looked like one was scratching the other to relieve an itch. Image © Lea Scaddan / Comedy Wildlife 2022

Now in its eighth year, the popular photo contest has attracted thousands of entries from across the globe that showcase the lighter side of nature. Co-founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam, the contest is not just about sharing funny moments from the natural world, it also aims to promote the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats. Each year, the competition highlights a charity working to help champion conservation. This year, the organisers will be donating 10% of the total net revenue from the contest to the Whitley Fund For Nature – a UK charity that offers awards and grants to conservationists around the world.

Here's a look at some of the highlights so far from the 2022 entries (to find out more about the competition or to enter your giggle-inducing photo, visit the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards website):

This was eating and she looked up at me as though she found it funny! Image © Kerry Singleton / Comedy Wildlife 2022

A chubby winter grey squirrel has a nap leaning against a convenient tree branch. Image © Stuart Malcolm / Comedy Wildlife 2022

While on a safari in Tanzania, we came across this gazelle that somehow got this "crown" stuck on it. The gazelle seemed to wear it proudly, while the other gazelles looked on. Image © Lincol Lin / Comedy Wildlife 2022

These elephant seal weaners were practising their jousting skills for many minutes before they collapsed in exhaustion. One looks to be resting far more comfortably than the other! Image © Andrew Peacock / Comedy Wildlife 2022

The coyote pups were becoming independent and spending more and more time away from their mother. The pups would romp and play as little ones do in the mornings before they laid back down to slumber. They would run and tumble, chase one another and mock fight. These two siblings were playing when one of them smacked the other in the eye! Yikes! Image © Deena Sveinsson / Comedy Wildlife 2022

I was at Northshore Park in the Woodlands, Texas taking pictures of birds and saw this Mallard Duck coming in for a landing. I took this photo and was surprised to see his mouth agape and in this comical flying position! Image © Gary Readore / Comedy Wildlife 2022

A snail was moving slowing along a foot path. It was startled by me and peeped up to check what was going on. On close-up view, it was like a Kaiju, a giant monster that features in Japanese film. Image © PF Loke / Comedy Wildlife 2022

A duckling walking/waddling across a turtle covered log at the Juanita wetlands, the duckling fell off after a few turtle crossings, it was cute. Image © Ryan Sims / Comedy Wildlife 2022

While taking a hike on a nearby hill I saw this playful owlet. I sat down observing his actions. It became so comfortable with me it started winking and yawning. Image © Sameer Walunj / Comedy Wildlife 2022

A giraffe scratches a hard-to-reach itch in South Laungwa National Park, Zambia. Image © Shelly Perkins / Comedy Wildlife 2022

It was such a treat watching a pride of lions on top of one of the rocks in the Serengeti. The cubs were very playful and just wanted to play with the mothers' tails but all the mothers wanted to do was sleep. Here is one of the cubs as he trying to wake up his sleeping mom. Image © Yaron Schmid / Comedy Wildlife 2022

Header image: William Parkinson/Comedy Wildlife 2022