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Nature

18 of the funniest photos from the 2021 Comedy Wildlife Awards

funny animal photos, comedy wildlife, wildlife photography

Comedy Wildlife Award Winners 2021.

Six years ago, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards started humbly as a small photo contest. But it's grown to be a worldwide renowned competition seen by millions across the globe. The photos are always funny but they come with a serious message: We need to protect the natural world.

This year's winner is "Ouch!" a photo of a Golden Silk Monkey who appears to have injured the family jewels by landing on a wire with his legs open. The photo was taken by Ken Jensen in 2016.

"I was absolutely overwhelmed to learn that my entry had won, especially when there were quite a number of wonderful photos entered," Jensen said in a statement. "The publicity that my image has received over the last few months has been incredible, it is such a great feeling to know that one's image is making people smile globally as well as helping to support some fantastically worthwhile conservation causes."


Winner: Ken Jensen "Ouch!" (Golden Silk Monkey, China)

Golden Silk Monkey, China.

©Ken Jensen/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

This is actually a show of aggression, however in the position that the monkey is in it looks quite painful!

Affinity People's Choice Winner: John Spiers "I Guess Summer's Over" (Pigeon, Oban, Argyll, Scotland)

©John Spiers/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

"I was taking pics of pigeons in flight when this leaf landed on the bird's face." – John Spiers

Creatures of the Land Winner: Arthur Trevino "Ninja Prairie Dog" (Bald Eagle, Longmont, U.S.A.)

©ArthurTrevino/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

When this Bald Eagle missed its attempt to grab this prairie dog, it jumped toward the eagle and startled it long enough to escape to a nearby burrow. A real David vs. Goliath story!

Creatures Under Water Winner: Chee Kee Teo "Time for School" (Smooth-Coated Otter, Singapore)

©Chee Kee Teo/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

A smooth-coated otter "bit" its baby otter to bring it back for a swimming lesson.

Portfolio: Vicki Jauron "Joy of Mud Bath" (Elephant, Matusadona Park, Zimbabwe)

©Vicki Jauron/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

An elephant expresses its joy in taking a mud bath against the dead trees on the shores of Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe on a hot afternoon.

Highliy Commended Winners: Andy Parkinson "Let's Dance" (Brown Bear Cubs, Kamchatka Peninsula, Far East Russia)

©Andy Parkinson/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

Two Kamchatka bear cubs square up for a celebratory play fight having successfully navigated a raging torrent (small stream!).

Chu Han Lin "See Who Jumps High" (Mudskipper, Taiwan)

©Chu Han Lin/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

I have the high ground!

David Eppley "The Majestic and the Graceful Bald Eagle" (Bald Eagle, Florida, U.S.A.)

©David Eppley/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

Bald eagles will use the same nest for years, even decades, adding new material to it at the beginning and throughout the nesting season. Normally, they are highly skilled at snapping branches off trees while in flight. Possibly tired from working nonstop all morning on a new nest, this particular bald eagle wasn't showing its best form.

Yes, sometimes they miss. Although this looks painful, and it might very well be, the eagle recovered with just a few sweeping wing strokes, and chose to rest a bit before making another lumber run.

Gurumoorthy K "The Green Stylist" (Indian Chameleon, Western Ghats)

©Gurumoorthy K/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

Just who do you think you're looking at?

Jakub Hodáñ "Treehugger" (Proboscis Monkey, Borneo)

©Jakub Hodáñ/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

This proboscis monkey could be just scratching its nose on the rough bark, or it could be kissing it. Trees play a big role in the lives of monkeys. Who are we to judge?

Jan Piecha "Chinese Whispers" (Raccoon, Kassel, Germany)

©Jan Piecha/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

The little raccoon cubs are telling secrets to each other.

Lea Scaddan "Missed" (Kangaroo, Perth, Australia)

©Lea Scaddan/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

Two western grey kangaroos were fighting and one missed kicking the other in the stomach.

Nicolas de Vaulx "How Do You Get That Damn Window Open" (Raccoon, France)

©Nicolas de Vaulx/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

This raccoon spends its time trying to get into houses out of curiosity and perhaps to steal food.

Pal Marchhart "Peek-a-Boo" (Brown Bear, Harghita Mountains, Romania)

©Pal Marchhart/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

A young bear descending from a tree looks like it's playing hide and seek.

Ronald Kranitz "I Got You" (Spermophile, Hungary)

©Ronald Kranitz /Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

I spent my days in my usual "gopher place" and yet again, these funny little animals haven't belied their true nature.

Video Category Winner Rahul Lakhmani "Hugging Your Best Friend After Lockdown"

©Rahul Lakhmani/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021.

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Three women, three MS journeys: How multiple sclerosis looks different for everyone

Gina, Nathalie and Helga share their reactions to being diagnosed with MS and how they stay informed and positive in the face of ever-changing symptoms.

Courtesy of Sanofi

Helga, Nathalie and Gina all have MS, and their experiences show how differently the disease can manifest.

True

It’s been 155 years since neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot gave the first lecture on a mysterious progressive illness he called “multiple sclerosis.” Since then, we’ve learned a lot. We know MS causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue, including damaging the brain and spinal cord. Resulting symptoms can be debilitating and include fatigue, blurred vision, memory problems and weakness. Huge advancements in our understanding of MS and its underlying causes, as well as treatment advances, have been made in the past few decades, but MS remains a complex and unpredictable reality for the 2.8 million+ people diagnosed around the world.

Ironically, the only real constant for people living with MS is change. There’s no set pattern or standard progression of the disease, so each person’s experience is unique. Some people with MS have mild symptoms that worsen slowly but sometimes improve, while others can have severe symptoms that drastically alter their daily lives.

All people with MS share some things in common, however, such as the need to stay informed on the ever-evolving research, find various lines of support and try to remain hopeful as they continue living with the disease.

To better understand what navigating life with MS really looks like, three women shared their MS stories with us. Their journeys demonstrate how MS can look different for different people and interestingly, how the language used to talk about the disease can greatly impact how people understand their realities.

woman with horse, woman riding horseGina loves riding her horse, Benita.Courtesy of Sanofi

Gina—Hamburg, Germany (diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2017)

When her youngest son was 4 months old, Gina started having problems with her eye. She’d soon learn she was experiencing optic neuritis—her first symptom of MS.

“Immediately after the diagnosis, I looked up facts on MS because I didn’t know anything about it,” Gina says. “And as soon as I knew what could really happen with this disease, I actually got scared.”

As her family’s primary income provider, she worried about how MS would impact her ability to work as a writer and editor. Her family was afraid she was going to end up in a wheelchair. However, for now, Gina’s MS is managed well enough that she still works full-time and is able to be active.

“When I tell somebody that I have MS, they often don't believe me the first time because I don't fulfill any stereotypes,” she says.

Overwhelmed by negative perspectives on living with MS, Gina sought support in the online MS community, which she found to be much more positive.

“I think it’s important to use as many positive words as you can when talking about MS.” It’s important to be realistic while also conveying hope, she says. “MS is an insidious disease that can cause many bad symptoms…that can be frightening, and you can't gloss over it, either.”

To give back to the online community that helped her so much, Gina started a blog to share her story and help others trying to learn about their diagnosis.

Though she deals with fatigue and cognitive dysfunction sometimes, Gina stays active swimming, biking, riding horses and playing with her sons, who are now 11 and 6.

Cognitive dysfunction is common in MS, with over half of people affected. It can impact memory, attention, planning, and word-finding. As with many aspects of MS, some people experience mild changes, while others face more challenges.

Gina says that while there’s still a lot of education about MS needed, she feels positive about the future of MS because there’s so much research being done.

woman in wheelchair holding medal, woman rowingNathalie is an award-winning rower with multiple international titles.Courtesy of Sanofi

Nathalie — Pennes Mirabeau, France (diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 2002)

Nathalie was a teenager and a competitive athlete when she noticed her first symptoms of MS, but it would take four years of “limbo” before she was diagnosed.

“Ultimately, the diagnosis was more of a relief, than a shock,” she says. “Because when you have signs and you don’t know why, it’s worse than knowing, in the end, what you have.”

However, learning more about the disease—and the realities of disease progression—scared her.

“That glimpse of the future was direct and traumatic,” she says. Her neurologist explained that the disease evolves differently for everyone, and her situation might end up being serious or very mild. So, she decided to stop comparing herself to others with MS.

She said to herself, “We’ll see what happens, and you’ll manage it bit by bit.”

By 2005, Nathalie’s MS had progressed to the point of needing a wheelchair. However, that has not dampened her competitive spirit.

Nathalie began her international rowing career in 2009 and has won multiple world titles, including two Paralympic medals—silver in London and bronze in Tokyo. Now, at 42, she still trains 11 times a week. Fatigue can be a problem, and sometimes hard workouts leave her with muscle stiffness and shaking, but she credits her ongoing sports career for helping her feel in tune with her body’s signals.

“Over the years, I’ve learned to listen to my body, letting my body guide when I need to stop and take breaks,” she says.

Nathalie explains that she used to only look backwards because of the initial shock of her diagnosis. In time, she stopped thinking about what she couldn’t do anymore and focused on her future. She now lives in the following mindset: “Even when doors close, don’t miss out on those that open.” Instead of focusing on what she can’t do, she focuses on the opportunities she still has. Right now, this includes her training for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, where she will compete for another rowing medal.

“I only go forward,” she says. “Well, I try, anyway…It’s easy to say, it’s not always easy to do. But that’s what I try to do.”

woman exiting water after swimming, woman with great daneHelga's Great Dane has become a helpful and beloved companion.Courtesy of Sanofi

Helga—Johannesburg, South Africa (diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2010)

When Helga first started having balance issues and numbness in her feet, she chalked it up to her training as a runner. But when the numbness moved to her face, she knew something was wrong. She never guessed it was MS.

“When I was diagnosed, I felt completely overwhelmed and clueless,” Helga says. “I felt that I had nowhere near enough information. I did not know anything about the disease…I had no idea that it was going to be a process of continually monitoring and adjusting your lifestyle.”

In the beginning, Helga’s symptoms developed slowly, and she didn’t appear ill to others. She was even able to run for a few years after her diagnosis, but she couldn’t do marathons anymore, and she began to fall frequently due to balance issues and right-foot dragging. Then her cognition issues became more problematic, especially in her job as a trainer in a printing company.

“My executive function, decision-making and short-term memory were affected to the point that I was eventually medically unfit for work,” she says. She stopped working in 2017.

However, she didn’t stop living life. Even though she could no longer run, she continued to swim competitively. She got a Great Dane puppy and trained him as a service dog to help her walk. She also serves as vice chair of the patient support organization Multiple Sclerosis South Africa, and she advises others who have been diagnosed to join a patient advocacy group as soon as possible to get reliable information and meet others with MS.

Helga says she is “hopeful” about the future of MS. “I must say that I am so grateful that we have all the new medications available, because my life would not be the same if it wasn't for that,” she adds.

Part of how she manages her MS is by looking at the positives.

“If I could tell the world one thing about MS, it would be that MS is an incurable disease of the nervous system, but it's also the greatest teacher of valuing your health, family, friends, and managing change in your life,” she says. “My life is diversified in a way that I never, ever thought it would, and MS has been honestly the greatest teacher.”

Each MS journey is unique – with each person impacted experiencing different struggles, successes, and feelings as they manage this unpredictable disease. But the common thread is clear – there is a critical need for information, support, and hope. We are proud to participate in World MS Day and share these incredible stories of living life while living with MS. To learn more about MS, go to https://www.sanofi.com/why-words-really-matter-when-it-comes-to-multiple-sclerosis.

MAT-GLB-2301642-v1.0-05/2023

This article was sponsored by Sanofi. Participants were compensated when applicable.

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