The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2026 already have their finalists, and as every year, the selection shows that wildlife can also give us absurd, tender and very unexpected moments.
These are not staged photos or forced scenes. They are real moments where a gesture, a posture or a visual coincidence makes an animal look angry, proud, dramatic, exhausted or simply ready for a comedy.
This year, 40 individual finalist photographs have been selected, alongside entries in the young, portfolio and video categories. The winners will be announced on 8 December 2026 in London, but in the meantime we can already enjoy some of the funniest images from the shortlist.
Here is a selection of 10 finalists worth looking at slowly.
1. Doris with her hat, by Andy Rouse
Doris with her hat - The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 | Photo: Andy Rouse
A water buffalo lifts its head at just the right moment and appears to be wearing an improvised hat. It is one of those images that works because of pure visual coincidence, but also because of the photographer’s speed in recognising the moment.
2. Elvis, by Paolo Torre
Elvis - The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 | Photo: Paolo Torre
An alligator appears with a kind of plant “hairstyle” that inevitably brings Elvis to mind. The funny part is that the scene looks constructed, but comes from a natural detail placed in exactly the right spot.
3. Angry Bird, by Jan Wittmer
Angry Bird - The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 | Photo: Jan Wittmer
A small bird with an extremely intense expression becomes the protagonist of a photo that seems to capture the world’s biggest anger inside the tiniest body.
4. Sexy mantis, by Diego Perez
Sexy Mantis - The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 | Photo: Diego Perez
A mantis in a theatrical pose that looks as if it came straight out of a fashion shoot. It is a very visual, different image and a perfect reminder that insects can also star in great wildlife photographs.
5. Bears Sharing a Joke, by Charles Janson
Bears shairng a joke - The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 | Photo: Charles Janson
Two brown bears seem to be sharing a joke. It is probably a scene of play or natural interaction, but from our human perspective it looks like a private conversation between two friends.
6. The Handstand, by Homagni Sahana
The Handstand - The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 | Photo: Homagni Sahana
A leopard appears in an unexpected pose, almost as if it were doing a handstand. The image works because it completely breaks with the solemn and elegant idea we usually have of big cats.
7. Lessons, by Heather Cudworth
Little Godzilla - The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 | Photo: Heather Cudworth
A mother elephant throws dust just over her calf during a dust bath in Amboseli, Kenya. The scene looks like an accidental “lesson”, as if the mother were teaching it something in the most direct way possible. It is a very funny image, but also a very natural one, because it comes from real elephant behaviour.
8. This is my best side, by Natalie Veekmans
This is my best side - The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 | Photo: Natalie Veekmans
Two beavers seem to pose for the camera with complete naturalness. The scene has that “profile picture” feel that turns normal behaviour into something very human.
9. Morning Calisthenics, by Scott Suriano
Morning Calisthenics - The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 | Photo: Scott Suriano
A bear in the middle of a body posture seems to be doing morning exercise. The image plays with that human reading of animal movement, without losing the context of wildlife.
10. Spicy Orangutan, by Tanner Mansell
Spicy Orangutan - The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 | Photo: Tanner Mansell
An orangutan appears with an expression and a gesture full of attitude. Beyond the humour, the photo also reminds us of the visual strength of great apes and how close many of their expressions can feel to us.
When the winning photos will be announced
The winners of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2026 will be announced on 8 December 2026 in London. Until then, the shortlist allows us to discover a very varied selection of wildlife scenes captured at exactly the right moment.
You can see all the finalist photos on the official Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards website.
