At a time when we could all do with a good laugh, it's a joy to see the images that have made the shortlist in the 2024 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. From clumsy birds to dramatic insects, this year's photos capture the comical wildlife moments that we rarely get to see.
This year, the competition sifted through almost 9,000 entries from 98 countries, to come up with a shortlist that will be whittled down to select an overall winner, category winners and a handful of highly commended images on December 10.
This also means that voting is now open for the People's Choice Award, which will run until midnight (GMT) on October 31. You can cast your vote here.
The awards are more than just a chance to see such diverse wildlife doing silly things (though, to be fair, birds seem to be sillier than most), but are a chance to bring attention to conservation and preservation of biodiversity and habitats. Just as no humans are alike, big personalities and absurdity spans the animal kingdom.
Here are some of our highlights of the final 40, and you can see more in our gallery.
"Fan-throated lizards are found only in the Indian subcontinent, where they have evolved under the influence of changing climates," says photographer Sanjay Patil. "Here is the female lizard standing upright to escape the summer heat."
Milko Marchetti captured this funny moment – but all is not what it seems, showing how in wildlife photography, so much is down to timing.
"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," Marchetti said.
"I visited Lake Clark National Park to photograph bears," said the snapper behind this shot, Christine Haines. "While there, I had an opportunity to travel to Duck Island where I saw an otter floating next to the boat. Otters hold their food with their paws making it appear like they are praying."
While a little unconventional in the comedy department, this fantastic shot by Przemyslaw Jakubczyk is something you would not expect to see in predator-prey interactions, and who doesn't love an underdog?
"Every annoyed and overtired fish needs to de-stress by hunting for a bald eagle," joked Jakubczyk.
You can see more of our favorites from the 2024 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards in our gallery. And because they're as amusing now as they were then, check out our previous finalist galleries from 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020.
Source: Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
