20 Sassy, Clumsy, And Hilarious Finalist Photos From This Year’s Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

#1 Stefan Cruysberghs, “Squirrel Airborne: Surrender Mode”

Image source: © Stefan Cruysberghs / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

A few years ago, a simple wooden hide was available for rent in a forest near my home, known for its lively red squirrel population. I had visited the spot several times before, and eventually began experimenting with capturing squirrels mid-jump. This resulted in countless blurry shots, but also a few fun and quirky moments—including the one I submitted. Sadly, the forest has since been cut down due to an infestation of bark beetles, but I still cherish the images I captured of these agile and comical little acrobats. I thought this flying squirrel looks like it’s throwing in the towel mid-air—arms wide, total surrender!

#2 Mark Meth-Cohn, “High Five”

Image source: © Mark Meth-Cohn / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

This photograph was taken during a trip to Rwanda earlier this year, where we spent four unforgettable days trekking through the misty Virunga Mountains in search of the gorilla families that call them home. On this particular day, we came across a large family group gathered in a forest clearing, the adults were calmly foraging while the youngsters were enthusiastically playing. One young male was especially keen to show off his acrobatic flair; pirouetting, tumbling, and high kicking. Watching his performance was pure joy, and I’m thrilled to have captured his playful spirit in this image.

#3 Valtteri Mulkahainen, “Smile, You’re Being Photographed”

Image source: © Valtteri Mulkahainen / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

When I was photographing bears, this one year old bear cub saw it and started smiling at me. Apparently he had already had to pose in front of photographers.

#4 Alison Tuck, “Now Which Direction Is My Nest?”

Image source: © Alison Tuck / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

A windy day on Bempton Cliffs during the nesting season.

#5 Erkko Badermann, “Landing Gears Down”

Image source: © Erkko Badermann / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

This photograph came about as a hard-won victory of patience. I have been photographing Red-throated Loons for several years. I lie on the edge of a bond under a camouflage net and photograph their spring courtship displays from my hide. The ground is wet and cold. That morning, an unseasonable early-spring snowfall caught me by surprise, making photography almost impossible. Lying there on the cold shore of the bond, I found myself thinking there was no sense in being there. I was already about to leave. However, I decided to stay, and the snowfall faded into quiet, beautiful drifting flakes, and a thin mist rose from the surface of the lake.

Another Red-throated Loon on the lake had turned white from the snowfall. From its behaviour I noticed that its mate was arriving at the lake, and I managed to get it in my camera’s focus against the grey sky. I lost it for a moment, but caught it again just before it landed on the water. The Red-throated Loon is quite a “poor” flier, and its landing is usually very wobbly: it seeks balance with its legs stretched backwards and then belly-lands to glide. I like to say they use the water as their runway. This time the bird came straight towards me and was so steady you might imagine it had taken flying lessons.

The photograph has travelled with me in my exhibitions, and it always elicits a chuckle from viewers. There is something funny about it. I thought it would be perfect for this competition to bring joy to its viewers.

#6 Grayson Bell, “Baptism Of The Unwilling Convert”

Image source: © Grayson Bell / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

One morning I was hanging out with my camera along the edge of a pond near our home. I noticed 2 frogs fighting and took a bunch of shots of them. This photo captures two male Green frogs, which are native to Maine. They usually have greenish-brown on their backs, with dusky bars on their hind legs and a lighter underside. Males may have a yellow throat, while females’ are white. They make a throaty sound like a ‘boink’.

In this photo, these two male frogs are jockeying for territory. They will engage in physical confrontations like wrestling to defend valuable habit that will attract females. I took several shots of them, but this one in particular amused me because it looked like one was trying to baptize the other against his will.

#7 Henry Szwinto, “Peek A Boo”

Image source: © Henry Szwinto / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

A Sri Lankan Elephant playing peek a boo with his ears.

#8 Christy Grinton, “Bad Hair Day!”

Image source: © Christy Grinton / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

For my image “Bad Hair Day” I was in a local park in downtown Victoria when I saw a grey blur run by. When I looked closer I saw a mother grey squirrel was relocating her babies to a new nest. The grass was dewy that morning so she was getting a wet tail as she ran through the grass. As she entered her new nest her tail was sticking out so when she turned around to leave, for a short second her head was covered by her wet tail. When I saw her it made me smile thinking I know that moment where you have just washed your hair and the doorbell goes! I also loved the textures and colours of the bark of the arbutus tree surrounding her and her “bad hair.”

#9 David Rice, “Omg He’s At It Again!”

Image source: © David Rice / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

Crazy morning antics of the Red-Crowned Cranes.

#10 John Speirs, “It Is Tough Being A Duck”

Image source: © John Speirs / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

This picture was taken on a very dull day, when the duck was just sitting on the surface of the sea loch a shaft of light broke through the clouds and light him up and he seemed to go into holiday mood.

#11 Warren Price, “Headlock”

Image source: © Warren Price / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

These guillemots were nesting on a small rocky cliff ledge where space was at a premium. The nests all crammed in close together which isn’t a good recipe for being good neighbours, as guillemots are fiercely territorial. Aggression and battles are frequent over nesting space and I captured this image of this bemused looking bridled guillemot, its head firmly clamped in his/her neighbours beak. I liked the way the guillemot was looking directly into my lens, its white eye-liner eyes highlighting its predicament! Sometimes you just want to bite your neighbours head off..literally!

#12 Geoff Martin, “Hornbill In A Hurry”

Image source: © Geoff Martin / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

I was in a hide in Zimanga, South Africa photographing white backed vultures or rather hoping to, when this southern yellow billed hornbill appeared and proceeded to position itself immediately in front of the hide obscuring any clear shots of the vultures. After several frustrating minutes a harris hawk came in rather quickly from the right coinciding with the hornbills departure. However, the hornbills expression appears to be one of sheer panic suggesting the hawk is eyeing the hornbill up for breakfast. Having both birds in the photo helps sell the story and increase the sense of urgency of the hornbill. Don’t worry, the hornbill departed unscathed!

#13 Bingqian Gao, “What Do You Mean I Need To See A Dentist?”

Image source: © Bingqian Gao / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

I spotted this porcupinefish in the shallow waters of the Sea of Cortez. Among the group, she stood out immediately – her mouth stayed open, giving her a comic look of perpetual shock. On closer inspection, I realised she couldn’t close it at all; a thick layer of algae had even begun to grow inside. Holding my breath, I sank to the sandy bottom to capture her head-on, joking to her (or to myself), “Dude, you’re due a dentist visit!”, making myself laugh out loud underwater.

And now, as this photo becomes a Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards finalist, I hope it brings a laugh to others too. But beneath the humour lies a quiet truth: marine life is fragile, especially as oceans acidify and ecosystems shift. Without comprehensive healthcare like ours, even small ailments can become fatal.

Through empathy and mindful choices, I hope we can create a world where wildlife can thrive as we do.

#14 Paula Rustemeier, “Hit The Dance Floor!”

Image source: © Paula Rustemeier / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

This shot was taken quite at the beginning of my wildlife photography “journey”. I always enjoyed nature, but usually only photographed my dog, until I observed foxes for an essay I wrote for biology lessons in school and decided I want to try to photograph and learn even more about foxes.

The photo was taken in a nature reserve. They don’t get hunted there and therefore are seen during the day as well. Something I found true with all areas with low hunting pressure that I’ve been to so far.

I’m not the biggest fan of camouflaging. While I do use it occasionally, the best way I have found to photograph them, especially young ones, is just being present. If you put in the time, I found that the foxes usually get either curious or see you as something natural, not dangerous. Either way, they come close eventually. I had several foxes nipping at my shoes already like this, as well as foxes catching mice just a couple meters away from me!

This was my tactic with these foxes too. Like this, I could follow and document them for several months while they grew up. Their den lied in a sandy valley. Sometimes I found one or two sleeping in that area during the day, but when dawn set, they met up at this spot, got really active and often played a lot together, just like in the image.

The time with them taught me a lot about their social behavior. I saw them fight, hunt, sleep, groom – and of course play, which is always my favorite to watch! You really have to giggle a lot watching foxes play with their quirky personalities.

Since then, I had been photographing and following fox cubs every spring/summer and had much more amazing encounters with foxes and also other wildlife. :)

#15 Andrey Giljov, “Welcome To Zen Lemur Yoga Course!”

Image source: © Andrey Giljov / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

Instructor Lemur demonstrates perfect enthusiasm, reaching high to embrace the universe. Student Lemur contemplates whether enlightenment is worth this much effort before breakfast. Flexibility? Optional. Dramatic flair? Mandatory.

#16 Meline Ellwanger, “The Choir”

Image source: © The Choir / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

A hilariously lucky moment I caught of these these three lions yawning at the same time.

#17 Diana Rebman, “Relaxing In The Trees!”

Image source: © Diana Rebman / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

This Yellow-cheeked Gibbon was just hanging out in the trees. Looks like he’s waiting for a beer to be served.

#18 Magnus Berggren, “Masquerading As An Arrow”

Image source: © Magnus Berggren / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

The story about the image is that I was out looking for eagles this little arrow come blasting through the sky; it was a black woodpecker. As it tucked its wings under its body, creating the perfect illusion of sheer speed, I was lucky to get it in frame and also get a sharp image, because i was using a slower shutterspeed at the moment.

#19 Michael Stavrakakis, “Paint Me Like One Of Your Forest Girls”

Image source: © Michael Stavrakakis / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

This image was captured in the Tanjung Puting National Park in southern Borneo and features Sandra, the oldest known orangutan living in the area. A once-rehabilitated orangutan who had previously lived in captivity, Sandra since been successfully released back into the wild. Known for her quirky and unique character, she quickly grew comfortable with our presence and before long had truly “found her stage.”

#20 Liliana Luca, “Fonzies Advertising”

Image source: © Liliana Luca / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

This moment happened after the tourists had left Nosy Komba (Madagascar). I stopped, letting the silence fall around me, and turned my attention to a group of crowned sifakas (Propithecus deckenii). It was then that he appeared, staring at me with wide, curious eyes, as if questioning my presence… or perhaps my clothing choices.

Then, with the grace of a stage actor and the timing of a comedian, he raised his hand, licked it thoughtfully, and then paused mid-gesture, as if he knew exactly what he was doing.

The photo immediately reminded me of that old snack commercial: “If you don’t lick your fingers… you’re only half enjoying it!”

Ultimately, this is why I love nature photography so much: sometimes nature’s sense of humor is better than our own; you just have to be ready to catch it..