The finalists are here for the 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, and they’re a hoot! Now, in the eighth year, the photos capture animals in unexpected poses that make you laugh out loud. Catching the funny photos takes photography skills, patience, and extreme luck.
“Wildlife photography does require a bit of patience,” says the competition co-founder, Tom Sullam. “And, with this particular competition, a huge amount of luck and you certainly can’t predict if they’re going to do something funny.”
Images via Facebook/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
Video about the Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards for 2023 by KCRA 3:
As with previous years, the photos show all kinds of animals doing comical things we’d usually associate with people. Although judges will select the winners, anyone can vote for the Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award on the website.
Attention Grabbing Teddy Bear
Photographer Dikla Gabriely couldn’t help but take pictures of this brown bear in Finland. It’s a case where anthropomorphism doesn’t seem to apply because the bear literally waved her down as she was capturing pictures.
Describing the moment, Gabriely said the bear “definitely did everything to make me pay attention to him and not the other bears.” That’s why the picture earned the title, “Picture me Picture me.”
Dikla Gabriely, “Picture me Picture me.”
Images via Facebook/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
Teddy Bear Buddies
Another shot of bears at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska shows two grizzly cubs playing together like the best of buddies. Photographer Thomas Vijayan caught the moment they locked eyes and seemed to hold paws with each other like the cutest “Teddy Buddies.”
“These magnificent creatures remind us that even the mightiest can embrace playfulness and connection,” he wrote.
Thomas Vijayan, “Teddy Buddies”
Leaping Leopards
Photographer Paul Goldstein got a picture of a leopard that seems ready to take flight in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. He titled the piece “Air apparent.”
“You cannot fault this leopard’s effort to get airborne,” Goldstein wrote.
Paul Goldstein, “Air apparent”
Leisurely Lion Cub
Photographer Christian Hargasser snapped this picture of a lion cub “hanging loose” on a tree stump. The cub is chilling out at the Masai Mara Nature Reserve in Kenya.
Christian Hargasser, “Hang-Loose”
Airborne Seal
A similar picture of a seal by Adrian Slazok shows a grey seal in England that seems ready to float up into the sky like a parade balloon. “Everyone Can Fly” is the apt title.
Adrian Slazok, “Everyone Can Fly”
Belly-Flopping Heron
A striated heron in the Zimanga Private Game Reserve in South Africa caught a fish and then promptly belly-flopped into the water. “Unexpected Plunge” is the title.
“An unusual end to a successful fishing moment,” said photographer Vittorio Ricci.
Vittorio Ricci, “Unexpected Plunge”
Tattle Tale Birdy
In “Dispute,” a baby Greenfinch from Poland’s Bialowieza Forest appears to be tattling to their bright yellow papa. Photographer Jacek Stankiewicz said the birds “looked like they were having an argument.”
Jacek Stankiewicz, “Dispute”
Fish with Legs?
Timing is everything in an underwater photo titled “Part of your world,” by Danielle Goonan. A Batfish in the Seychelles swam by alongside a diver, and the two seemed to become one awkward species.
Danielle Goonan, “Part of Your World”
Cigar Smoking Fox
A Virginia fox seems to be smoking a cigar in a photo by Dakota Vaccaro. The caption for the picture is “‘Excuse me sir but I think you are a little too young to be smoking.”
Vaccaro was watching a family of foxes in a rural location when one playful kit pounced on a piece of wood. Tired from his “hunt,” the kit lounged with it in his mouth.
Dakota Vaccaro, ‘Fox with a cigar’
Otter Ballerinas
A photographer named Otter Kwek caught the unlikely moment an otter in Singapore posed like a ballerina.
“An otter ballerina gracefully dances in an arabesque position,” Kwek captioned this image. “I showed this photo to a ballet teacher, and she commented that the otter is a natural but just needs to tuck in its tummy a bit,” Insider shared.
Photographer Otter Kwek “Otter Ballerinas”
Living Snowball
Photographer Jacques Poulard entered a picture of what appears to be a snowball come to life. It’s actually a White Grouse from Spitzberg, Svalbard, Norway.
Poulard said the “snowball” was approaching him when he snapped the picture.
“The white grouse came to me looking like a snowball with eyes,” Poulard wrote.
Jacques Poulard, “Snowball”
Owl with the Monday Blahs
Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park is home to an owl that seems to behave much like Eeyore, the gloomy Donkey from Winnie-the-Pooh.
Photographer John Blumenkamp caught the owl in a momentary slump after doing some stretches. The owl was generally looking “majestic and wise” apart from the brief moment of blahs.
John Blumenkamp, “Monday Blahs”
Air Guitar Playing Kangaroo
Here’s a Grey Kangaroo from Perth, Australia, that seems to be playing the air guitar in a field of golden flowers.
Photographer Jason Moore was driving past the field when he stopped to take photos. That’s when he noticed a funny pose and zoomed in.
“I suddenly noticed this individual adopt a humorous pose. To me, it looks like he’s practicing strumming on his air guitar.”
Jason Moore, “Air Guitar Roo”
Kangaroo Jazz Hands
Another entry featured kangaroos, this time from Melbourne, Australia. Photographer Lara Mathews entered the photo, showing a young joey who seems to have an attitude for the camera. Jazz hands?
Mathews thought the joey was trying his hand at boxing in the morning sunshine.
Lara Mathews, “Boing”
Penguins Holding Hands
Photographer Dario Podesta entered this photo titled “Fellowship,” showing three King Penguins from the Falkland Islands.
“Three king penguins coming out of the water holding hands,” reads his caption.
Dario Podesta, “Fellowship”
Beaver Dental Hygiene Tips
In a picture ready for display at every dentist’s office, a beaver from Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming appears to hold dental floss.
Photographer John Vangoidtsenhoven caught the picture and wrote, “Even beavers floss before and after every meal!”
John Vangoidtsenhoven, “Flossing Beaver”
Mustached Monkey King
At the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali, monkeys are sacred. Photographer Delphine Casimir caught a picture of one sly little macaque in a picture titled “The rainforest Dandy.”
The macaque seems to be making a mustache with their tail.
Delphine Casimir, “The rainforest Dandy”
Monkey Shocked By the Tea Leaves
This Sulawesi-crested macaque from Indonesia appears to be reading a leaf and surprised by whatever it says! Photographer Matti Rauvala caught the picture, titled “Fake News!”
Matti Rauvala, “Fake News”
One Cheeky Baboon Baby
Photographer Benard Omwaka entered another picture titled “Cheeky Baboon,” featuring Baboons from Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya. A mother was trying to groom her baby, who didn’t want to hold still.
Every parent can relate as the mother holds her protesting sneaky baby by the ear.
Benard Omwaka, “Cheeky Baboon”
The Happy Turtle
Photographer Tzahi Finkelstein caught the moment a dragonfly perched atop a turtle’s nose in Jezreel Valley, Israel.
“The swamp turtle is surprised and smiles at the dragonfly resting on its nose,” Finkelstein wrote.
Tzahi Finkelstein, “The Happy Turtle”
Up In Someone’s Business
In the picture titled, “Oh my, talk about poking your nose into someone else’s business!” a giraffe seems to take nosiness to extremes nobody is ready for.
Photographer Bill Gozansky caught this “unusual configuration” of three Angolan Giraffes at the Onguma Game Reserve in Namibia.
Bill Gozansky, “Oh my, talk about poking your nose into someone else’s business”
There are many more finalists for the 2023 People’s Choice Award, which you can vote for on the website. Proceeds from the competitions support conservation efforts. Follow on Facebook and Instagram for more.
