A tiny bird looking decidedly unimpressed; a water buffalo seemingly wearing an elaborate green bonnet; and an owl facing an airborne squirrel are among the finalists in this year's Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards.
The 2026 shortlist has been revealed after the competition received more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries – the highest number in its history.
Forty photographs have been selected as individual finalists, alongside three entries in the under-16 category, four portfolios and nine videos.
The images capture animals in a series of amusing poses and encounters, from a tiny bird staring directly into the camera to a young elephant disappearing in a cloud of dust.
Among them is British photographer Andy Rouse's Doris with her Hat, taken in Sri Lanka. The image shows a water buffalo lifting its head while covered in vegetation, giving the appearance of wearing an elaborate headdress.
Another, Push Over, was taken by Austrian photographer Barbara Seiberl-Stark during her first safari in Zimbabwe. It captures a group of young lions playing in a dried-up riverbed, with one appearing to shove another to the ground.
Other photographs show the more chaotic side of the animal world. One captures a squirrel leaping towards a young great horned owl perched on a branch, while another shows an elephant calf being engulfed by plumes during an adult elephant's dust bath.
The annual competition was founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam as a way of combining wildlife photography and humour while raising awareness of conservation.
“What began as a small effort to raise awareness of wildlife conservation has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined,” Sullam said. “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.”
This year's competition is supporting the Born Free Foundation, an international wildlife charity that works to protect animals from exploitation and conserve threatened species and habitats. The awards will donate 10 per cent of their profits to the organisation.
The finalists will now be assessed by a judging panel that includes: TV presenter Kate Humble; actor and comedian Hugh Dennis; comedian Stuart Goldsmith; author and presenter Roma Wells; and wildlife photographers Will Burrard-Lucas, Daisy Gilardini, Will Fortescue and Jamie Smart.
The overall winner, category winners and highly commended entries will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on December 8.
The overall winner will receive a safari in Kenya's Masai Mara, while other prizes include Nikon photography equipment.
The finalists will also be exhibited at Gallery@Oxo in London from December 9-13. Voting for the People's Choice Award has opened and runs until March 1, 2027.
The Comedy Wildlife Awards are free to enter and open to professional, amateur and novice wildlife photographers.
