Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards Finalists for 2023 Bring On The Laughs

Every year, the Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards set out to share photographs that not only tickle the funny bone but also highlight the wonders of the natural world. This year’s final shortlist includes a wonderful compilation of images including some dancing horses, a kangaroo playing air guitar, a lounging monkey and bickering greenfinches.

The finalists are whittled down from thousands of entries submitted by photographers from around the globe. So without further delay, here is a selection of finalists vying for the top prize for Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2023.

“That wasn’t here yesterday!!” A white-winged dove appearing to fly head-on into a cholla cactus skeleton in Buckeye, Arizona, USA.

This Black-and-white ruffed can’t hold his emotions.

“Oh my, talk about poking your nose into someone else’s business!” An unusual configuration of giraffes at a waterhole in the Onguma Game Reserve in Namibia, Africa.

“The rainforest dandy.” This picture was taken in the monkey forest in Ubud, Bali. This place is a crazy place where monkeys are king! Sometimes they give a show, sometimes, they climb on you to look for fleas or steal the piece of biscuit you are trying to eat.

“Part of Your World.” “This trip to the Seychelles was my first big trip after getting scuba certified,” says Danielle Goonan. “Caught this on one of the dives.”

The photo was taken late in the evening at 6:30 p.m. in low light in the Masai Mara near the “Saparingo Swamp”. And we actually had to go back to the camp because it was already getting dark, when this young lion jumped on the old tree trunk

“Hang loose.” A young lion jumped on an old tree trunk and it caught in this funny sitting position in the middle of playing.

“Just a kiss.” This young chacma baboon is sitting on it’s mother back playing the fool.

“Dispute.” A young greenfinch in the Bialowieza Forest looks like it’s having an argument with its parents.

“The happy turtle.” The swamp turtle is surprised and smiles at the dragonfly resting on its nose.

An otter ballerina gracefully dances in an Arabesque position. The otter was leaping while attempting to grasp the overhanging leaves, and during an unusual landing, it ended up in the Arabesque pose.

“One for the family album.” Photographer Weston Super Mare writes, “With one having returned to the nest, the Northern Gannets had greeted each other with normal beak rubbing….How proud do they look with their chick between them!”

“Living the Moment.” Relax, lay back and enjoy the warm sun… This seal is scratching its face and it is seen lying on the side while his head is supported by his flipper. This image makes the seal like the reclining Buddha statue.

“Unexpected plunge.” An unusual and almost miserable end of a perfect moment, previously prepared, for a successful fishing.

“Go To Your Room Little Brother!” Two great horned owlets interacting with one another in west-central Florida. Mama owl had briefly left the palm-tree nest to get some rest from these hyperactive, soon-to-be fledglings. They were flapping their wings and showing affection for each other. However, in this image, while one of them was extending a wing, it just looked like it was scolding its sibling.

“The Cabaret Bear.” This polar bear cub found this piece of wood pretty amusing and was playing it when it suddenly stopped and stood up using it almost like a performer does at times.

“Now that’s a selfie.” Swan on the beach was very interested in its photographer.

“Doing the Tango” These two stallions show off their athletic abilities while fighting each other. No horses were hurt doing the Tango.

© Henry Keepin / Comedywildlife

“What nice teeth you have.” A Painted Wolf at Lion Sands Game Reserve, a protected reserve with open borders next to the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

“Excuse me sir but I think you’re a little too young to be smoking”. “While I was working deep in the Virginian woods, a family of grey foxes took up residence under the deck of the abandoned cottage next to my work housing,” says Dakota Vaccaro. “One day while practicing their hunting skills on bits of moss and branches, one of the kits lunged at a small chunk of wood and started rolling around with his prize. Tired after his hunt the kit lounged on his belly still holding the wood in his mouth which gave the strong resemblance of a cigar. I was very envious of the kit at this moment cause who wouldn’t want to just lay around all day relaxing.”

“Snowball.” A grouse in a very cold winter in Svalbard.

“Right of Way.” At the sandbar in Moorea, ocean dwellers practice the right of way to the more dominant species.

“Air Guitar Roo.”

“Picture me! Picture me!!” A brown bear in Finland who definitely did everything to make me pay attention to him and focus on him and not the other bears.

Winners for this year’s competition will be announced in a month’s time. For more information about this year’s competition visit: www.comedywildlifephoto.com

See the winners of the 2022 competition here and for 2021 here.