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15 of the best entries in the 2022 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards contest

Every single one is a winner.

comedy wildlife photos, funny animals, nature photography
© Miroslav Srb/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022 and © Lee Zhengxing/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

A waving raccoon and a sassy squirrel.

Since 2015, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has highlighted the funniest photos taken by some of the world’s best photographers. The competition was started by Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam to create a competition that focused on the lighter, humorous side of wildlife photography while assuming an essential role in promoting wildlife conservation.

“With so much going on in the world, we could all use a bumper dose of fun and laughter and this year’s finalists have definitely delivered that! When you see these amazing photographs like the one of an elephant seal, trying to use his neighbour’s head as a pillow (and we’ve all been there) or a wallaby at sunset, seemingly about to launch another wallaby into space, it makes you smile and wonder at the incredible animals that are on this earth with us, and we love that about the competition,” Sullam said in a press release.

This year, the competition supports the U.K. charity Whitley Fund for Nature, which supports conservation leaders working in their home countries across the global south. Over the past 29 years, it has channeled £20 million ($22.4 million) to more than 200 conservationists in 80 countries.

This year, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has chosen 40 finalists. Here are 15 of the best.


1. "Jumping Jack" (red squirrel) by Alex Pansier, Netherlands

© Alex Pansier/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"A red squirrel jumps during a rainstorm, so you can see the drops flying around."

2. "Talk to the fin!" (gentoo penguins) by Jennifer Hadley, U.S.A.

© Jennifer Hadley/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"This was shot on the Falkland Islands. These two gentoo penguins were hanging out on the beach when one shook himself off and gave his mate the snub."

3. "The wink" (American red fox) by Kevin Lohman, U.S.A.

© Kevin Lohman/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"An American Red Fox casually walked up to the edge of the woods and sat down, then turned around and gave a wink. Moments later, this sly fox disappeared into the trees."

4. "Hello everyone" (Raccoon) by Miroslav Srb, Czech Republic

© Miroslav Srb/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"I photographed a raccoon on a Florida beach, where I fed him shrimps. Then he thanked me like that."

5. "Monkey wellness centre" (monkey) by Federica Vinci, Italy

© Federica Vinci/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"Walking near a cambodian temple where groups of wild monkeys lived, I came across this scene: a wild monkey in total relax, while its friend was taking care of it."

6. "Not so cat-like reflexes" (lion cub) by Jennifer Hadley, U.S.A.

© Jennifer Hadley/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"This 3-month-old cub and his sibling were in a tree. The other lionesses were in other trees and on the ground. He wanted to get down and walked all over the branches looking for the right spot and finally just went for it. It was probably his first time in a tree and his descent didn't go so well. He was just fine though after landing on the ground. He got up and ran off with some other cubs."

7. "Happy feet" (emperor penguin) by Thomas Vijayan, Canada

© Thomas Vijayan/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"This chick has grown old enough to take to the seas and fish for their own food."

8. "Maniacs" (lappet-faced vultures) by Saverio Gatto, Italy

© Saverio Gatto/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"Lappet-faced Vultures in the display."

9. "Excuse me... Pardon me!" (duckling, turtles) by Ryan Sims, U.S.A.

© Ryan Sims/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"A duckling walking/waddling across a turtle covered log at the Juanita wetlands, the duckling fell off after a few turtle crossings, it was cute."

10. "I CU, boy!" (spotted owl) by Arshdeep Singh, Bikaner, India

© Arshdeep Singh/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"Few hundred miles away we went to explore wildlife of a small town named ‘Bikaner’. It was after almost a year I travelled because of covid. We hired a guide to explore places around. During last day of our trip we came across a pipe in a city where we spotted an owlet. I have earlier clicked owls in a pipe before so I was sure that I wasn’t mistake. We waited for a short while and it didn’t take a long time and one of the spotted owlet came out of the pipe. It was really funny when he came out and looked at me straight, before going inside he closed one of his eyes and felt like he wanted to say 'I CU boy!' and I immediately snapped a picture when he gave this pose."

11. "Tight fit" (eastern screech owl) by Mark Schocken, U.S.A.

© Mark Schocken/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"I was going to see and photograph this eastern screech owl nest in a local park in Florida. One morning, a few days before the two owlets fledged, one owlet tried to squeeze into the nest hole with mom, maybe to see the outside world for the first time. It was hilarious and I was glad I was there that morning to photograph it. The moment lasted only a few seconds as Mom didn't seem very happy with the arrangement. Check out the expression on her face."

12: "Three-headed" (Kamchatka brown bears) by Paolo Mignosa, Italy

© Paolo Mignosa/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"The three cubs seem to form a ‘Kerberos’, the three-headed dog of Greek mythology."

13: "Rushing Little owl fledgeling" (owl fledgeling) by Shuli Greenstein, Israel

© Shuli Greenstein/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"I was told that I can find a lot of little owls in the Judean Lowlands in Israel. So, I went on a journey early in the morning and really, I found a lot of little owls standing on the ground, on stones, near the nest and on tree branches. Suddenly, my eyes were caught by two fledgelings that were playing with each other on the ground. One of them crossed my field of vision. I started taking pictures in sequence and this is what came out."

14. "Misleading African viewpoints 2" (hippopotamus and heron) by Jean Jacques Alcalay, France

© Jean Jacques Alcalay/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"Hippo yawning next to a heron standing on the back of another hippo."

15. "Lisper squirrel" (squirrel) by Lee Zhengxing, China

© Lee Zhengxing/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

"We encountered this little squirrel when climbed mountain in June. When noticed our approaching, instead of escaping right away, he just kept standing on the edge of cliff and overlooked into the distance, then turned around to staring at us as if we had interrupted his meditation. We left him with some biscuits for inconvenience and I took a photo of him telling thanks, just found that he was a lisper."

Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


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Let's settle this silly-but-surprisingly-heated debate once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?



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