Also among the 40 photos shortlisted from across the globe are a superhero squirrel, a lion cub face-planting into a tree, and a monkey who just can’t even…
The awards were co-founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam.
In a press statement, the pair said their aim was “to create a competition that focused on the lighter, humorous side of wildlife photography but also had an important role in promoting wildlife conservation at its heart.”
“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,” said Sullam.
Each year the competition supports a conservation organization — and this year it is working with the Whitley Fund for Nature, a UK charity supporting conservation in the global south.
Members of the public can vote for the image they found funniest at www.comedywildlifephoto.com until November 27, and the category and overall winners will be announced on December 8.
In 2021, the overall winner of the competition was Ken Jensen’s picture of a monkey caught in a painful position on a wire.