The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards – almost probably the world’s funniest photography competition has just announced the top 44 images for 2020 – and they are absolutely brilliant!
This year they include a fox in heavy negotiations with a mouse, a seriously smiley fish, a photo-bombing giraffe, and a very poor p-p-p-penguin!
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020 Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon MONTMEYRAN Title: Crashing into the picture Description: Giraffes necking near a water point Animal: Giraffe Location of shot: Etosha National Park. Namibia
The competition, founded by Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, both professional photographers and passionate conservationists, is a global, online, and free to enter photography competition, showcasing seriously funny images of the earth’s most amazing wildlife. In addition to providing some light-hearted relief, the competition aims to highlight the extremely important message of wildlife conservation in an engaging and positive way, working with the main competition partner – The Born Free Foundation.
Joining Tom and Paul on the distinguished judging panel are wildlife TV presenter and writer Kate Humble, actor and comedian Hugh Dennis, wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas, co-founder of Amazing Internet Andrew Skirrow, photographer Simon Pollock, wildlife expert and co-founder of BFF Will Travers OBE, Managing Director of Affinity, Ashley Hewson, the Telegraph’s online travel editor Oliver Smith, Bella Lack, an inspiring and next-generation conservationist and finally Celia Dunlop, a brilliant picture editor, who knows a great photo when she sees it!
People’s Choice Award – The Public get to VOTE on their favorite!
However, members of the public also get the chance to choose a winner, as once again, Affinity Photo is sponsoring the People’s Choice Award! For more details on how to vote for your favorite funny pic and to be in with a chance of winning a brand new iPad – go to The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards website at www.comedywildlifephoto.com
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020 Sally Lloyd-Jones Bodmin Title: It’s A Mocking Bird! Description: I was hoping a Kingfisher would land on the “No Fishing” sign but I was over the moon when it landed for several seconds with a fish. It then flew off with it’s catch. It appeared to be mocking the person who erected the sign! Animal: A Kingfisher Location of shot: Near Kirkcudbright
Winners Announcement
The Category and Overall Winners will be announced on October 22 with the top image winning an incredible one-week safari with Alex Walker’s Serian in the Masai Mara, Kenya as well as a unique handmade trophy from the Art Garage in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
As always, the competition is supported by a raft of fantastic sponsors and partners; The Born Free Foundation, Affinity photo, Amazing Internet, Think Tank, Alex Walker’s Serian, Spectrum Photo, and Nikon.
View the Rest of the Finalists’ Images in the Gallery Below!
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Asaf Sereth
Kfar Menachem
Israel
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Title: Surprise Smiles
Description: While walking on trail at the southern side of lake Bogoria the photographer and group of Dwarf Mongooses surprise each other…
Animal: Dwarf Mongoose
Location of shot: Lake Bogoria, Kenya
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Bernhard Esterer
Oudtshoorn
South Africa
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Title: Spreading the Wildlife Gossip
Description: Two male lions sharing between one another the secrets of the Kalahari Savannah .
Animal: Lions
Location of shot: Kalahari Desert
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Christina Holfelder
Munich
Germany
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Title: I could puke
Description: This picture was taken on the Falkland Islands at sunrise. A group of penguines went to the shore to go fishing when one stopped and vomitted.
Animal: Gentoo penguine
Location of shot: Falkland Islands
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Eric Fisher
Shaker Heights
United States
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Title: Hi Y’all
Description: While he was fishing, this bear took a minute to pause and say hi to the friendly photographers who were passing by.
Animal: Brown Bear
Location of shot: Alaska
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Esa Ringbom
Akaa
Finland
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Title: Doggo
Description: The photo was taken in Eastern Finland. In the picture, a brown bear is aiming for a piece of put on to a snag.
Animal: Brown bear
Location of shot: Kuhmo East Finland
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Gail Bisson
Sydney
Canada
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Title: Covid Hair!
Description: This beautiful reddish egret had just finished preening and did a shake-out to detangle his gorgeous locks! I was lying on my belly while he preened and hoped he would turn towards me to do “the shake-out”. I got lucky! While sorting through my files during this pandemic lock down, I loved this because this is what I will look like if I cannot get to the hairdresser until May 4, 2020 -which is the latest projected date for easing the lock down rules here in Nova Scotia.
Animal: Reddish Egret
Location of shot: Fort Desoto, Florida
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
JAGDEEP RAJPUT
DELHI
India
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Title: Like mother like daughter
Description: Like mother like daughter, when their entwined tails, tell a tale.
Animal: Asian Elephant
Location of shot: Corbett National Park, India.
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
JAGDEEP RAJPUT
DELHI
India
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Title: Peekaboo.
Description: You see me…you see me not.
Animal: Royal Bengal Tiger
Location of shot: Ranthambhor National Park, India.
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Jill Neff
Jackson
United States
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Title: Just Chillin’
Description: This is actually an exhausted raccoon that can barely hold on after being chased by a dog. I won’t say what happened next. Pictures can be deceiving.
Animal: racial
Location of shot: Jackson, OH
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Kay Kotzian
Muskegon
United States
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Title: I think this tire’s gonna be flat
Description: Grizzly tire service. Questionable ethics.
Animal: Grizzly Bears
Location of shot: Grand Teton National Park
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Ken Crossan
WICK
United Kingdom
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Title: Having a Laugh
Description: A young common seal chills out on a rock in Sinclair Bay in Caithness, its thick layer of blubber moulding into the contours of the rock. Looking as if it is enjoying a really good joke, the seal is, in fact, yawning.
Animal: Common Seal
Location of shot: Caithness, Scotland
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Krisztina Scheeff
Escondido
United States
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Title: Seriously, would you share some?
Description: Atlantic Puffins are amazing flyers and their fishing talents are – well – as you see some do better than others! I just love the second Puffin’s look – can I just have one please?
Animal: Atlantic Puffin
Location of shot: Scotland, UK
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Kunal Gupta
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
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Title: Wait up mommy, look what I got for you!
Description: At the Kaziranga National Park, this elephant mother and calf seemed completely oblivious to our jeep and went about their stroll through the pond. The mom seemed to be giving her calf lessons on eating the hyacinth – select a lush green bunch, rip them out from the root, pound the stems against the their trunk to remove the mud and then swallow whole – the calf looked like she was thoroughly enjoying the lesson and duly followed her mothers every move. I stood transfixed as the lesson played out in front of us – stopping only to take a photo now and then – the pair occasionally glanced in our direction and must have been wondering what we were ooohing and aaahing about – this particularly photo is my favorite since it has the calf standing stuck to her mother with a trunk full of stems – I was lucky enough to take the shot just at the moment they seemed to give us an enormous smile. It was truly an unforgettable experience – on this trip we saw many of Kaziranga’s treasures – One horned Rhino, Royal Bengal Tiger, plethora of gorgeous birds indigenous to this region, yet somehow the simple sight of watching this giant creature preparing her child for the world seemed to stand out and left us all with a remarkable feeling of having experienced nature at it’s purest.
Animal: Elephant and calf
Location of shot: Kaziranga, India
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Luis Burgueño
Trelew
Argentina
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Title: I had to stay late at work
Description: South sea elephant in patagonia (Isla Escondida) They adopt very curious gestures!
Animal: South sea elephant (Mirounga)
Location of shot: Isla Escondida, Chubut. Patagonia Argentina
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Luis MartÃ
Cancún
Mexico
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Title: Macaque Striking a Pose
Description: I was on Bali on vacations. We went to Uluwatu Temple and I saw this young macaque playing around and do silly things. Is like it was posing to the camera. Amazing little animals.
Animal: Macaque
Location of shot: Uluwatu Temple, Bali.
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Manoj Shah
NAIROBI
Kenya
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Title: Laughing Hippo
Description: The baby hippo whispered to the mother’s ear: ” I had a wonderful dream. Alex invited me for tea so I went to his tent. He pointed to the empty chair and invited me to sit on it. I did so and suddenly the chair broke. I was on the floor. Alex started laughing and went to the adjoining chair to sit down. As soon as he sat down, I heard a loud crack, His char also broke and was thrown on to the floor. We both started laughing with tears coming from our eyes.” Then i woke up and started smiling.
Animal: hippopotamus
Location of shot: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Marcus Westberg
Ã…kersberga
Sweden
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Title: Boredom
Description: A silverback gorilla looks at his group of human visitors with something less than the enthusiasm they themselves were displaying during the encounter.
Animal: Mountain gorilla
Location of shot: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Martin Grace
Kendal
United Kingdom
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Title: Socially Uninhibited
Description: I am sure we all know, or have met, little old men like this – leaning on a gnarled walking stick while scratching inappropriate places without inhibition. A bit of a surprise then to see this young Chacma Baboon socially uninhibited before his time!
Animal: Chacma Baboon (Papio cynocephalus ursinus)
Location of shot: River Chobe, Botswana
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Max Teo
Singapore
Singapore
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Title: It’s the last day of school holidays
Description: Mother grooming pub during resting time.
Animal: Smooth-coated otter
Location of shot: Singapore
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
mike lessel
dallas
United States
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Title: Quiet, please…
Description: On a hike and this kestrel was chasing dragonflies and took a break on a fence
Animal: Kestrel
Location of shot: Huntington Beach, CA
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Olin Rogers
BEND
United States
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Title: I’ve got you this time!
Description: An African lion cub stalks his brother from atop a termite mound.
Animal: African lion cub
Location of shot: Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Petr Sochman
Brussels
Belgium
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Title: Social distance, please!
Description: This photo from January 2020 is the beginning of a scene which lasted approximately one minute and in which each of the birds used a foot to clean the partner’s beak. While the whole scene was very informative, this first photo with the male already holding his foot high in the air was just asking to be taken out of the context… Processing: cropping, global adjustments (noise reduction, exposure, saturation, contrast, sharpening), local adjustments (vignette)
Animal: Rose-ringed parakeet
Location of shot: Kaudulla national park, Sri Lanka
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Ramesh Letchmanan
Singapore
Singapore
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Title: I Am Champion
Description: A half-submerged snow monkey declares itself a champion by raising both hands in the air as a true winner.
Animal: Snow Monkey
Location of shot: Jigokudani Monkey Park, Japan
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Kranitz Roland
Agfalva
Hungary
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Title: O sole mio
Description: It’s like he was just “singing” to me! 🙂 She had a very nice voice 🙂
Animal: spermophile
Location of shot: Hungary
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Sue Hollis
Summerland Point
Australia
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Title: Sun Salutation Class
Description: We were surprised to see that Sea Lions actively practice Yoga. Guess they need to get their Zen as well.
Animal: Sea Lion
Location of shot: Galapagos Islands
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Thomas Vijayan
Ontario
Canada
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Title: Fun For All Ages
Description: Shooting the most common is the most challenging thing. Langurs are very common but waiting for a right movement is very challenging and needs lots of patience. Photography is not about quantity I consider it more of a quality and a story telling frame which can put a smile in someone’s heart. In 2014 I had made 15 trips to India in search of a perfect frame out of these trips, in one of the trip I could only get this frame and I am more than happy with this picture – A playful monkey with its family is a special frame for me.
Animal: Langur
Location of shot: Kabini, India
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Tim Hearn
Bideford
United Kingdom
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Title: Faceplant
Description: This Elephant calf in Namibia was slow to notice when his mother started to move away. When he tried to hurry and catch up, he tripped over his front feet and faceplanted. His mother heard the commotion and immediately came back to help him up and the calf continued on his way with no damage except to his dignity.
Animal: African Elephant
Location of shot: Namibia
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Tim Hearn
Bideford
United Kingdom
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Title: Hide and Seek
Description: As this Azure damselfly slowly woke up, he became aware of my presence. I was lined up to take a profile picture of his wings and body, but quite sensibly the damsel reacted to the human with the camera by putting the Marsh grass stem between me and it. I took the shot anyway. It was only later that I realised how characterful it was. And how much the damselfly looks like one of the muppets.
Animal: Azure Damselfly
Location of shot: Devon, UK
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Vicki Jauron
Downingtown
United States
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Title: Abracadabra!
Description: A pelican appears to be putting a magic spell on the one in front of him. Maybe, hoping to make him disappear.
Animal: Brown Pelican
Location of shot: Fort Myers Beach, Florida
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
wei ping Peng
Sydney
Australia
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Title: So hot
Description: Monkeys soak in natural hot springs
Animal: Monkey
Location of shot: Japan
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
Yevhen Samuchenko
Odessa
Ukraine
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Title: The race
Description: My friends and I walked in the center of the small town of Hampi in India. There was a bicycle parking nearby. Suddenly a flock of langurs jumped on these bicycles and began to frolic. We were afraid to frighten them away, I started taking pictures from afar, but then we came very close to them and the langurs continued to play with bicycles
Animal: Langur
Location of shot: India
This year CWPA is really excited to have a brilliant message, which they are promoting on how to be a ‘conservationist at home.’
With the recent lockdown, we have all got used to doing things slightly differently, including shopping closer to home, so why not carry on? It helps in all sorts of ways from supporting small, local businesses to shrinking your carbon footprint and is way more fun! And if you can avoid buying un-recyclable products and one-use plastics/packaging, even better!
PUT PLANT BOXES ON YOUR WINDOWSILLS
One of the easiest things to do… put a plant box on your windowsill, grow some flowers, and give the bees somewhere to go. We’ve all heard of the importance of bees, and this little nod towards their daily requirements is already a huge step in the right direction. Imagine if every windowsill had a flower box! It would be an absolute miracle, so let’s start that process!
ONLY FLY LONG HAUL IF YOU REALLY HAVE TO.
Something else lockdown has taught us is how amazing the internet is at keeping us in touch with each other! We’re all Zoom experts now! Let’s embrace this new whizz technology and only take those flights if there is really no other way.
BECOME A “WILD INFLUENCER.”
This is a special person who may be not a mega activist, but really, really cares about the environment and wants to do something to help. For more ideas, please go to: www.comedywildlifephoto.com
