We’ve got a real treat in store for those of you Pandas who love animals, enjoy photography, and have a deep adoration for both quality humor and overwhelming cuteness—something to chase away all of those autumn blues and put a wide smile on your face.
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards finalists have just been announced, and the top 40 photos are as stunning as they are hilarious! Founded by photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam, the competition has been making the entire world laugh since 2015. It focuses on the lighter side of wildlife photography while also promoting conservation.
We’re featuring the best of the best of 2022’s crop below, so scroll down, upvote your fave pics, and check out Bored Panda’s interview with the team running the competition. Ready to see the best photos you’ve laid eyes on all week? Who do you think deserves to win the most? Just be sure to show the pics to anyone who you feel needs a good laugh.
And if you feel like you need an extra dose of Vitamin Happiness today, be sure to check out Bored Panda’s earlier post about this year’s competition. Meanwhile, you’ll find the awesome photos the finalists of previous competitions took here: 2021, 2020, 2019.
More info: ComedyWildlifePhoto.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
#1 “Talk To The Fin!” By Jennifer Hadley
This was shot on the Falkland Islands. These two gentoo penguins were hanging out on the beach when one shook himself off and gave his mate the snub.
Image source: © Jennifer Hadley/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#2 “Hello Everyone” By Miroslav Srb
I photographed raccoon on a Florida beach, where I fed him shrimps. Then he thanked me like that.
Image source: © Miroslav Srb/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#3 “Excuse Me… Pardon Me!” By Ryan Sims
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 source: © Ryan Sims/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#4 “Tight Fit!” By Mark Schocken
I was going to see and photograph this eastern screech owl nest in a local park in Florida. One morning, a few days before the two owlets fledged, one owlet tried to squeeze into the nest hole with Mom, maybe to see the outside world for the first time. It was hilarious and I was glad I was there that morning to photograph it. The moment lasted only a few seconds as Mom didn’t seem very happy with the arrangement. Check out the expression on her face.
Image source: © Mark Schocken/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#5 “The Wink” By Kevin Lohman
An American Red Fox casually walked up to the edge of the woods and sat down, then turned around and gave a wink. Moments later, this sly fox disappeared into the trees.
Image source: © Kevin Lohman/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#6 “What Do You Mean Smile?! I Am Smiling!” By Alison Buttigieg
I spent a whole morning with this lion pride. One of the lionesses made some funny facial expressions after yawning, luckily for me she looked straight into the camera for a moment and I caught this fake smile.
Image source: © Alison Buttigieg/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#7 “Mum Life” By Sophie Hart
A baby long-tailed macaque clings on to its weary mother.
Image source: © Sophie Hart/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#8 “Pegasus, The Flying Horse” By Jagdeep Rajput
Actually this is Indian Saras Crane attacking a Bluebull from behind, the bull happened to venture close to Saras’s nest, where in, it had laid a single egg. The Saras Crane, which is tallest flying bird in the world, opened it’s huge wings and attacked the bull from behind, driving the bull away from the nest.
Image source: © Jagdeep Rajput/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#9 “Curtain Call II” By Dave Shaffer
This little guy had a blast playing with a stick . I also had a very good time watching him .
Image source: © Dave Shaffer/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#10 “Fight Back” By John Chaney
This salmon decides to punch the bear in the face rather than be lunch.
Image source: © John Chaney/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#11 “Romantic” By Valtteri Mulkahainen
Image source: © Valtteri Mulkahainen/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#12 “Not So Cat-Like Reflexes” By Jennifer Hadley
This 3 month old cub and his sibling were in a tree. The other lionesses were in other trees and on the ground. He wanted to get down and walked all over the branches looking for the right spot and finally just went for it. It was probably his first time in a tree and his descent didn’t go so well. He was just fine though after landing on the ground. He got up and ran off with some other cubs.
Image source: © Jennifer Hadley/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#13 “Jumping Jack” By Alex Pansier
A red squirrel jumps during a rainstorm, so you can see the drops flying around.
Image source: © Alex Pansier/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#14 “Maniacs” By Saverio Gatto
Lappet-faced Vultures in display.
Image source: © Saverio Gatto/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#15 “Three Headed (“Kerberos”)” By Paolo Mignosa
F81 The three cubs seem to form a ‘Kerberos’, the three –headed dog of Greek mythology.
Image source: © Paolo Mignosa/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#16 “I Jump Instead Of Flying” By Tímea Ambrus
The screech-owl chose to jump instead of flying. He was a bit lazy.
Image source: © Tímea Ambrus/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#17 “What Shall I Write Next” By Torie Hilley
Most bear cubs do cub-like things. Like, follow mom around, nurse, and be generally cute. But this cub took it to another level of cuteness. She found an eagle feather and started to play with it for a good 10 minutes! As she danced and rolled with the feather, she held it in her mouth for a moment – as if she was thinking of what to write next! Cuteness overload!
Image source: © Torie Hilley/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#18 “Say Cheeeese” By Arturo Telle Thiemann
A couple of triggerfish looking into the camera, captured at the Azores.Even they may look funny, these fish can be quite aggressive. In this case they didn’t attempt to bite me, but the domeport of my camera housing ended up with some scratches… life is hard… at least it wasn’t me who was hurt.
Image source: © Arturo Telle Thiemann/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#19 “Shark Moose” By Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
Is this bull moose smiling … or getting ready to attack!?
Image source: © Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#20 “Rushing Little Owl Fledgeling” By Shuli Greenstein
I was told that I can find a lot of little owls in the Judean Lowlands in Israel. So, I went on a journey early in the morning and really, I found a lot of little owls standing on the ground, on stones, near the nest and on tree branches. Suddenly, my eyes were caught by two fledgelings that were playing with each other on the ground. One of them crossed my field of vision. I started taking pictures in sequence and this is what came out…
Image source: © Shuli Greenstein/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#21 “It’s All Kicking Off!” By Michael Eastwell
Apart from its beauty, Cape Hillsborough is renowned for its resident kangaroos and wallabies. I visited the area for three consecutive sunrises, but it was on my final morning that I captured this beautiful spectacle, two wallabies playing / fighting on the beach as the sun burst through the surrounding clouds.
Image source: © Michael Eastwell/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#22 “Keep Calm And Keep Your Head” By Martin Grace
Two King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) at Volunteer Point in the Falklands. The right hand bird may have an inscrutable expression but it must be wondering where its mate’s head has gone. Perhaps it is a Rudyard Kipling scholar: ‘If you can keep your head when all about you. Are losing theirs and blaming it on you.
Image source: © Martin Grace/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#23 “I’m Gonna Strangle You!” By Emmanuel Do Linh San
I was following a group of meerkats on foot in the Kalahari Trails Game Reserve, in South Africa. Most individuals, including adults, were in a playful mood. It gave me a unique opportunity to capture very interesting and dynamic interactions between some members of the group. In the photo that I have selected, there is no aggression between individuals, but rather an interaction that reminds us of humans when one of your friends jokes about you and you pretend to strangle them and, in response, they open their mouth like a simpleton.
Image source: © Emmanuel Do Linh San/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#24 “Uncomfortable Pillow” By Andrew Peacock
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 source: © Andrew Peacock/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#25 “Lisper Squirrel” By Lee Zhengxing
We encountered this little squirrel when climbed mountain in June. When noticed our approaching, instead of escaping right away, he just kept standing on the edge of cliff and overlooked into the distance, then turned around to staring at us as if we had interrupted his meditation. We left him with some biscuits for inconvenience and I took a photo of him telling thanks, just found that he was a lisper.
Image source: © Lee Zhengxing/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#26 “Barf” By Paul Eijkemans
This picture of a Picasso Triggerfish was taken in Marsa Shagra, Egypt. The fish just vomited the coral residues that it picked up while nibbling on the coral.
Image source: © Paul Eijkemans/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#27 “Funny Walk” By Bojan Bencic
The swan was in the middle of a fight with another swan, chasing him around on a frozen lake.
Image source: © Bojan Bencic/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#28 “Monkey Wellness Centre” By Federica Vinci
Walking near a cambodian temple where groups of wild monkeys lived, I came across this scene: a wild monkey in total relax, while its friend was taking care of it.
Image source: © Federica Vinci/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#29 “Misleading African Viewpoints 2” By Jean Jacques Alcalay
Hippo yawning next to a heron standing on the back of another hippo.
Image source: © Jean Jacques Alcalay/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
#30 “Stop And Stare” By Andy Evans
After hearing Borneo’s borders would reopen again in April 2022 I couldn’t wait to visit and photograph some of the weird and wonderful wildlife on the island. After 2 years with no tourists it seemed like the wildlife was just as shocked to see me as I was to see them. This young proboscis monkey watched in amazement as I cruised by on the kinabatangan river.
Image source: © Andy Evans/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
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