17 of the funniest finalists in the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

It’s time again for one of Upworthy’s longest-running traditions: announcing the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards finalists. The 2026 competition received over 10,000 entries from 112 countries and has been narrowed to 40 finalists, including a laughing hare, a “sexy” mantis, and a very angry goldcrest. The photographers are competing for the top prize—a once-in-a-lifetime safari with Alex Walker’s Serian in the Masai Mara. Other prizes include Nikon Z6III and Nikon Z50II cameras. “The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards started very gently, somewhere out on the vast plains of the Serengeti. What began as a small effort to raise awareness of wildlife conservation has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined,” Tom Sullam, the competition co-founder, said in a statement. “The competition is now truly global, and a decade or so on, we want to make it even bigger, funnier, and more far-reaching than ever. We use humour to get people to feel empathy towards wildlife, and it’s that empathy that creates behavioural change for the better,” he continued. Over the next few weeks, judges will review the photos and do their research to determine the winners, who will be announced on December 8 at an Awards Night in London. Here are Upworthy’s top 17 favorite entries in the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. You can see all 40 finalists here. 1. “Doris with her hat” (water buffalo) by Andy Rouse, U.K. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Andy Rouse United Kingdom Title: Doris with her hat Description: When this water buffalo lifted her head up it looked liked she had a fancy bonnet on so we called her Doris! Animal: Water Buffalo Location of shot: Sri Lanka “When this water buffalo lifted her head, it looked like she had a fancy bonnet on, so we called her Doris!” 2. “Oops – I think I just parped” (brown hare) by Carolyn Moore, U.K. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Carolyn Moore Langport United Kingdom Title: "Oops – I think I just parped"! Description: I carefully stalked the hares in this field in Wiltshire, hiding behind camouflage so as not to be noticed. This brown hare came very close and its grooming regime was entertaining. Animal: Brown Hare Location of shot: Wiltshire “In the spring of this year, I went with a friend to a spot that we knew had a healthy population of hares… Sure enough, there were a few hares in the field, and the grass was long enough to give them some cover and a nice backdrop for the photographs… I think the image shows just how relaxed this little fella was. It was a joy to watch them go about their activities, seemingly totally relaxed. This is what wildlife photography is all about for me!” 3. “Bears Sharing a Joke” (brown bears) Charles Janson, U.S. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Charles Janson Title: Bears Sharing a Joke Description: These two subadult male Brown Bears are doing some play-fighting – practice sparring that will prepare them to engage in real fights with adult males. Although their swipes at each other can look dangerous, they are actually 'friends' (buddies that hang out with each other). It is very rare for one to seriously injure the other. There is debate about whether the facial expressions of these bears are at all equivalent to human smiles – but I like to think that they are. Animal: Brown Bear Location of shot: Chinitna Bay, Alaska, USA “These two subadult male Brown Bears are doing some play-fighting – practice sparring that will prepare them to engage in real fights with adult males. Although their swipes at each other can look dangerous, they are actually ‘friends’ (buddies that hang out with each other). It is very rare for one to injure the other seriously. There is debate about whether the facial expressions of these bears are at all equivalent to human smiles – but I like to think that they are.” 4. “I can’t see you” (elephant) by Cliff Fawcett, U.K. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Cliff Fawcett Title: When you spot your blind date and realise the profile pic was a lie Description: I watched this bull in Addo National Park, South Africa stroll toward a group with absolute confidence, until he got within twenty yards. Suddenly, the trunk went up, the eye went into hiding, and he executed a very slow, very awkward U-turn. We’ve all been there; he just happens to weigh six thousand kilos. Animal: Elephant Location of shot: Addo National Park “I watched this bull in South Africa stroll toward a group with absolute confidence, until he got within twenty yards. Suddenly, the trunk went up, the eye went into hiding, and he executed a very slow, very awkward U-turn. We’ve all been there; he just happens to weigh six thousand kilos.” 5. “Sexy mantis” (mantis) by Diego Peres, Peru The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Diego Perez Title: Sexy mantis Description: A tiny green mantis peeks over a leaf during a night walk in an area of Cusco, Peru, that is still waiting to be protected. Animal: Mantis Location of shot: Camanti, Cusco, Peru “A tiny green mantis peeks over a leaf during a night walk in an area of Cusco, Peru, that is still waiting to be protected. I decided to enter this photograph because almost everyone I showed it to reacted the same way: they laughed immediately, even if they couldn’t quite explain why. At first, the mantis seems to be sunbathing, or perhaps striking a rather glamorous pose. But there is also a small visual trick: half of the insect is hidden behind the leaf. Its hind legs disappear from view and, suddenly, its enormous forelegs begin to look almost like a pair of human legs.” 6. “If I were just a little faster…” (polar bear and ivory gull) by Eric Boren, U.S. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Eric Boren Title: If I were just a little faster… Description: A polar bear contemplates an ivory gull in the pack ice north of Svalbard. Animal: Polar bear, ivory gull Location of shot: Svalbard, Norway “A polar bear contemplates an ivory gull in the pack ice north of Svalbard. Polar bears are opportunistic and will eat birds’ eggs when they find them. This bear must have wandered near a nest, as several ivory gulls harassed her for quite a while.” 7. “Lessons” (elephants) by Heather Cudworth, U.S. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Heather Cudworth Title: Lessons Description: A mom and calf were roaming across the parched plains of Amboseli. Mom took a break from walking to enjoy a soothing dust bath. She began to pick up piles of dirt, dust, and grass and toss them effortlessly over her head. She paused for a moment then gathered a particularly large amount of debris. She pulled her trunk back as if she was winding up for a strike-out pitch, then proceeded to shower her youngster with presumably the most high-pressure dust bath he'd ever experienced, directly to the face! Whether she was teaching him a lesson in cleaning his skin, keeping his mouth shut, or both, I don't know. However, I am certain she got her point across. Listen to your mother, little one. Animal: African Elephant Location of shot: Amboseli National Park, Kenya “This image is one of many I got throughout a memorable morning in Samburu. This female spent much of the morning perching herself on different vantage points in search of her cub. She found the cub later on, capping a memorable day for us. It was like a documentary played out in front of our eyes. This day remains the highlight of that trip, as I am fascinated with leopards.” 8. “Angry Bird” (goldcrest) by Jan Wittmer, Germany The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Jan Wittmer Karlsruhe Germany Phone: +491797354726 Email: foto-com@account.janwittmer.de Title: Angry Bird Description: During my photo trip to the island of Helgoland, I encountered a goldcrest for the very first time – and it was love at first sight. Europe’s smallest bird wandered around on the ground right in front of me, presumably searching for food. To get a perspective at eye level, I placed my camera on the ground. My heart was pounding, and my finger was glued to the shutter as the tiny bird darted back and forth every second. Suddenly, it came to a complete stop and looked straight into the camera. That was the exact moment this photo was taken. Animal: Goldcrest Location of shot: Helgoland, Germany “During my photo trip to the island of Helgoland, I encountered a goldcrest for the very first time—and it was love at first sight. Europe’s smallest bird wandered around on the ground right in front of me, presumably searching for food. To get an eye-level perspective, I placed my camera on the ground. My heart pounded, and my finger stayed glued to the shutter as the tiny bird darted back and forth every second. Suddenly, it stopped completely and looked straight into the camera. That was the exact moment this photo was taken.” 9. “Are You Kidding Me?” (Great Horned owl and squirrel) by Kevin Lohman, U.S. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Kevin Lohman Title: Are You Kidding Me? Description: A young Great Horned Owl had barely settled onto its perch before a protective squirrel launched a surprise aerial tackle, knocking it into the grass below. The most unbelievable part? The squirrel repeated the stunt two more times. The owl and squirrel were shaken up, but unharmed. Animal: Great Horned Owl and squirrel Location of shot: Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, CA “A young Great Horned Owl had barely settled onto its perch before a protective squirrel launched a surprise aerial tackle, knocking it into the grass below. The most unbelievable part? The squirrel repeated the stunt twice more. The owl and squirrel were shaken up, but unharmed.” 10. “Nature’s Window” (Azure damselfly) by Lee Frost, U.K. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Lee Frost Email: leefrostscol@gmail.com Title: "Nature's Window" Description: "May, 6am, and I was just about ready to head home after photographing insects as they warmed up for the day. This sleepy damselfly had slowly climbed a blade of grass, so I gently placed it on a leaf for one last portrait. Instead of posing politely, it disappeared behind the leaf, popped its head through a ready-made window, and just as I pressed the shutter… gave me a cheerful wave. Clearly, someone wanted the last laugh!" Animal: Azure damselfly (Coenagrion puella) Location of shot: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK 11. “Sea gangsters” (walruses) by Marek Jackowski, Poland The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Marek Jackowski Title: Sea gangsters Description: During my expedition to Svalbard Archipelago in the Autumn of 2024, I visited small Moffen Island. There were a couple of groups of Walruses resting on the beach. They were very relaxed lying next to each other, presumably to conserve body heat in the freezing Arctic temperatures. These animals are incredibly social, frequently lounging in large, tightly packed herds. I sat on the bank of the sea admiring the arctic landscape and sunrise. Suddenly, a group of nine Walruses approached me. They swam very close to me, curiously twitching their sensitive whiskers. After about ten minutes they departed. I managed to capture this image when they simultaneously emerged from the water. It was a once in a lifetime encounter with those truly amazing animals. Animal: Walrus Location of shot: Svalbard “Welcome to Gold Harbour, South Georgia: nature’s most chaotic beach resort. It’s a breathtaking place with glaciers, mountains, and zero personal space.” 12. “This is my best side” (beavers) by Natalie Veekmans, Belgium The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Natalie Veekmans Title: "This is my best side" Description: Two Belgian beavers who have clearly decided that humans are no reason to interrupt their daily routine and they even seemed happy to pose for the camera. Animal: Beaver Location of shot: Ardennen – Belgium “Two Belgian beavers who have clearly decided that humans are no reason to interrupt their daily routine, and they even seemed happy to pose for the camera.” 13. “Elvis (caiman) by Paolo Torre, Italy The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Paolo Torre Title: Elvis Description: This caiman emerged from the water in an area with a lot of floating vegetation, and part of it remained on its head. It resembles a 1950s rock and roll hairstyle. Animal: Caiman Location of shot: Pantanal, Brasil. “This caiman emerged from the water in an area with a lot of floating vegetation, and part of it remained on its head. It resembles a 1950s rock and roll hairstyle.” 14. “The Ground Is Lava!” (Senegal chameleon) by Robert Gondek, Poland The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Robert Gondek Title: The Ground Is Lava! Description: One cautious step at a time, this chameleon crossed the sandy ground as if every pebble were dangerously hot. With one hand raised and its most serious face on, it looked less like a reptile and more like a tiny green action hero. Camouflage was clearly not part of today’s plan. Animal: Senegal chameleon Location of shot: Togo “One cautious step at a time, this chameleon crossed the sandy ground as if every pebble were dangerously hot. With one hand raised and its most serious face on, it looked less like a reptile and more like a tiny green action hero. Camouflage was clearly not part of today’s plan. 15. “#ForTheGram” (brown bear) by Rosie Barrett, U.K. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Rosie Barrett Title: #ForTheGram Description: I went on a photography mission in Finland and my absolute dream species was the brown bear. After a few days of observing bears in the woods, I was lucky enough to encounter a family with 3 playful yearling's. They were all climbing up and down the trees and one stopped for just a moment in this perfect pose. Pretty sure he knew it was for Instagram..un-bear-lieavable! Animal: Brown bear Location of shot: Finland “I went on a photography mission in Finland and my absolute dream species was the brown bear. After a few days of observing bears in the woods, I was lucky enough to encounter a family with 3 playful yearlings. They were all climbing up and down the trees, and one stopped for just a moment in this perfect pose. Pretty sure he knew it was for Instagram..un-bear-lieavable!” 16. “Hair Check Before the Family Photo” (meerkats) by Subi Sridharan, U.K. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Subi Sridharan Title: Hair Check Before the Family Photo Description: One meerkat insists on giving a last-minute grooming inspection while the others are trying their best to look respectable. Animal: Meerkats Location of shot: Namibia “One meerkat insists on giving a last-minute grooming inspection while the others are trying their best to look respectable.” 17. “Out of water” (garden sunbird) by Thong Duy Vu, Vietnam The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 Duy Thong Vu Title: Out of water Description: On a gently sunlit afternoon, a little sunbird excitedly set off for a five-star spa deep in the forest. From afar, he spotted a “natural bathtub” – a bright red banana blossom, filled with cool water and plenty of sweet nectar. He landed on the blossom and savored the sweet nectar. After his treat, he hopped into the “tub” and began enjoying the refreshing, cool water. He tilted his head this way, stretched his wings that way, and wagged his tail, sending droplets splashing all over his body. The feeling was incredibly relaxing and refreshing. With his tiny beak, he carefully preened each feather until all the dust was gone. Then, he hopped back onto the edge of the tub, enjoyed some more nectar, and didn't forget to sing a few cheerful notes as if to say, “Today I must be the freshest, cleanest, and most dazzling bird in the forest!" He jumped back into the tub, repeating his routine—tilting his head, spreading his wings, wagging his tail—but alas, why wasn't there a single drop of water left? He looked up at the sky and exclaimed, “Oh my goodness, where did all the water go? What kind of half-finished bath is this?” He thought, this spa definitely deserves a one-star rating. I should’ve just bathed in the rain earlier. What a buzzkill! In the end, he had no choice but to dust off his wings and fly away, muttering to himself, “Next time I go to a spa, I need to check the calendar.” And just like that, the fancy five-star spa trip ended with the water running out. Animal: Cinnyris jugularis Location of shot: Vietnam “On a gentle sunlit afternoon, a little sunbird excitedly set off for a five-star spa deep in the forest. From afar, he spotted a ‘natural bathtub’—a bright red banana blossom, filled with cool water and plenty of sweet nectar.”