23 of the Funniest Finalists in the 2021 Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards

Sep 01, 2021

Michael Zhang

The Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards has announced the finalists for its 2021 contest, which honors the funniest wildlife photographs captured over the past year.

Launched in 2015 by a pair of professional photographers who wished to promote wildlife conservation through humor, the Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards received over 7,000 entries from around the world this year, and 42 of those submissions have been selected as finalists. 10% of the net revenue from this year’s awards will be donated to the charity Save Wild Orangutans.

“We were overwhelmed with the number and quality of entries we received this year, with well over 7,000 photos submitted from every corner of the globe,” co-founder Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE says. “It was an amazing turnout, especially given the impact of the pandemic.

“The huge number of images we receive every year illustrates the appetite there is to engage with conservation and reminds us that wildlife truly is incredible and hilarious and, we must do all we can to protect it.”

The Overall and Category winners will be unveiled on October 22nd, and the winner will receive a one-week Kenyan safari as well as a handmade trophy.

Here are 23 of the finalists from this year’s contest for your amusement:

“Chinese whispers” by Jan Piecha. Kassel, Germany. “The little raccoon cups are telling secrets to each other.” © Jan Piecha / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Laughing Snake” by Aditya Kshirsagar. India. “Vine snakes are very commonly seen snakes in western ghats of India. When approached they show aggression by opening their mouth wide open. Nothing to scare of this beautiful harmless Vine snake. I was happy to find it and smiling and It looks like he was smiling back at me.” © Aditya Kshirsagar / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Monday Morning Mood” by Andrew Mayes. Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa. “I took this shot while photographing a group of Pied starlings perched in a tree at the Rietvlei Nature Reserve in South Africa. It perfectly sums up my mood on most Monday mornings.” © Andrew Mayes / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Shhhh! I’m so hungover it hurts.” by Anita Ross. San Bernardino county, California. “Burrowing owl youngsters are so amusing to watch. This burrowing owl caught my eye because he looked like he a hangover.” © Anita Ross / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Ninja Prairie Dog!” by Arthur Trevino. Hygiene, Colorado. “When this Bald Eagle missed on its attempt to grab this prairie dog, the prairie dog jumped towards the eagle and startled it long enough to escape to a nearby burrow. A real David vs Goliath story!” © Arthur Trevino / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Time for school” by Chee Kee Teo. Singapore. “A smooth-coated otter “bit” its baby otter to bring it back to and fro for swimming lesson.” © Chee Kee Teo / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“See who jumps high” by Chu Han Lin. Tainan, Taiwan. “See who can jump high, you must lose me.” © Chu Han Lin / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“The Baboon who feels like a tenor” by Clemence Guinard. Saudi Arabia. “Resting with its pack, down a road in the Saudi Arabian mountains, this Hamadryas baboon started to yawn. But the graceful position of its paws, its fluffy cape, its eyes looking like it put some makeup. In front of the camera, this Baboon was on stage, ready to please its public and to start its tenor’s solo.” © Clemence Guinard / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Majestic and Graceful Bald Eagle” by David Eppley. South West Florida, USA. “Bald Eagles will use the same nest for years, even decades, adding new material to it at the beginning and throughout the nesting season. Normally, they are highly skilled at snapping branches off of trees while in flight. Possibly tired from working nonstop all morning on a new nest, this particular Bald Eagle wasn’t showing its best form. Yes, sometimes they miss. Although this looks painful, and it might very well be, the eagle recovers with just a few sweeping wing strokes, and chose to rest a bit before making another lumber run.” © David Eppley / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Shaking Off 2020” by Dawn Wilson. Louisiana, USA. “I was photographing brown pelicans on a rainy day in southern Louisiana in early 2021, still in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. As the pelicans woke up, they would shake the water off their bodies before heading out to fish. This particular one almost seemed to be shrugging his shoulders, as if to say, ‘I have no idea what 2021 will be like.'” © Dawn Wilson / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Monkey riding a giraffe” by Dirk-Jan Steehouwer. Murchison Falls NP, Uganda. “During a game drive, we found a group of monkeys playing around with each other, jumping up and down from a bare branch. It was a joy to watch. After a while, I saw a giraffe coming from the right. By the moment the giraffe did pass the branch, one of the monkeys was on his post to ride the giraffe.” © Dirk-Jan Steehouwer / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“The Comedy wildlife” by Gurumoorthy Gurumoorthy. Western Ghats, India. “Indian chameleon this image capture in Western Ghats Tamilnadu (Indian) used camera Nikon D5300 70-300mm lens.” © Gurumoorthy Gurumoorthy / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Treehugger” by Jakub Hodan. Borneo. “This Proboscis monkey could be just scratching its nose on the rough bark, or it could be kissing it. Trees play a big role in the lives of monkeys. Who are we to judge…” © Jakub Hodan / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“I Guess Summer’s Over” by John Speirs. Oban Argyll. “I was taking pics of pigeons in flight when this leaf landed on birds face.” © John Speirs / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Ouch!” by Ken Jensen. Yunnan, China. “A golden silk monkey in Yunnan China – this is actually a show of aggression however in the position that the monkey is in it looks quite painful!” © Ken Jensen / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Just Checking” by Larry Petterborg. South Luangwa national Park, Zambia, Africa. “A male Vervet Monkey was hanging around a bridge over the Luangwa River in South Luangwa National Park looking for some action (handouts from passersby).” © Larry Petterborg / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Opera warm-ups” by Lea Scaddan. Perth, Australia. “The kangaroo looked like he was singing ‘the hills are alive, with the sound of music’ in the field.” © Lea Scaddan / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Mr. Giggles” by Martina Novotna. Ravenscar. “Grey seal pup appears to be giggling. I loved the expression captured. It looks so human-like. I was lying on a rocky beach for hours, as motionlessly as possible, patiently waiting for seal life to unfold around me. This seal pup came onto the shore for a bit of rest and ended up sleeping on its chosen rock for hours before the incoming tide forced it to move more inland. Occasionally, it would stretch and yawn and it was one of the yawns that led to this expression, looking as if the seal was giggling.” © Martina Novotna / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Welcome to Nature!” by Mattias Hammar. Gothenburg, Sweden. “A red damselfly welcomes us into the world of macro nature. It was so amazing to see it climb up the straw, and pause at the intersection to say hi!” © Mattias Hammar / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Peek-a-boo” by Pal Marchhart. Hargita Mountains, Romania. “A young bear descending from a tree looks like he/she is playing hide and seek.” © Pal Marchhart / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“I got you!” by Kranitz Roland. Hungary. “I spent my days in my usual “gopher place” and yet again, these funny little animals haven’t belied their true nature.” © Kranitz Roland / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Dancing Away to Glory” by Sarosh Lodhi. Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, India. “A young langur sways its body to give an impression that its dancing.” © Sarosh Lodhi / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

“Smoked Deer for Dinner” by Siddhant Agrawal. Jim Corbett National Park India. “I have been following the family of a tigress called Paaro in India’s Jim Corbett National Park for many years. This is her daughter who has stood on her hind limbs to be able to scratch her face with a log. But, it appears as if she is carrying the log on her shoulders.” © Name / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021. © Siddhant Agrawal / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

You can find the complete list of 42 finalists as well as vote for the “People’s Choice” winner on the contest’s website. You can also find some of the funniest photos from previous years here.

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