Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2026 finalists announced

Wednesday 7 October 2026, 23:32 by Elja Trum | 565 views | 0 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

The finalists of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2026 have been announced. This year once again brings a delightful collection of photos where you sometimes have to look twice before you realise exactly what is happening.

Think of a caiman with a hairstyle Elvis would be jealous of, a leopard that seems to be doing a handstand, a confidently parading white-tailed eagle and a polar bear that appears to be having a serious conversation with a seagull.

And that's just a small selection.

More than 10,000 entries

For the 2026 edition, the organisation received more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries. This makes it the biggest edition of the Comedy Wildlife Awards so far.

From all those entries, 40 individual finalists were selected. There are also three finalists under the age of 16, four portfolio finalists and nine videos in with a chance of winning a prize.

The video above gives you a preview of some of the finalists.

What makes the photos so entertaining, of course, is that the animals themselves aren't trying to do anything funny at all. It is often those chance moments, strange poses and perfectly chosen viewpoints that turn an ordinary wildlife photo into something hilarious.

A good example is a photo of a caiman where some vegetation on its head looks exactly like a thick head of hair. Or the brown bear lying on its back, giving the impression that it is enthusiastically doing its daily sit-ups.

These are exactly the moments that you often have to wait a long time for as a wildlife photographer.

Humour with a serious message

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards were founded in 2015 by photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam. There is also a serious idea behind the funny images.

Through humour, the organisation aims to draw attention to wild animals and the preservation of their habitats. By making people laugh at animals, it is hoped that they will also become more involved in protecting them.

For this purpose, the competition works with the Born Free Foundation, among others, an organisation that works worldwide to protect wild animals and their natural habitats.

Also especially relevant at the moment: the organisation emphasises that the submitted photos must be real moments from the wild. AI-generated images and extensive digital manipulation are not allowed.

Great prizes

There is also a lot to win for the photographers. The prizes include a Nikon Z6III, a Nikon Z50II and the Nikon ZR cinema camera. The overall winner will also go on safari with Alex Walker's Serian in the Masai Mara.

The final winner of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2026 will be announced on Tuesday 8 December during an awards ceremony in London.

One of the most entertaining photography competitions of the year. Not just because of the humour, but also because the photos show so clearly how important timing and the right viewpoint are. Sometimes you only need a fraction of a second to turn an ordinary wildlife photo into an image that thousands of people will laugh at.

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