In photos: Funniest animal moments from this year's Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards awards
A kangaroo that looks like it’s playing air guitar won for best overall image. A baby bird striking the pose of a child tattling on its sibling won for the Junior Award and a grey fox lounging with something resembling a cigar in its mouth won in the highly commendable category. These adorable critter moments made the shortlist for this year’s edition of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. The competition saw thousands of entries from professional and amateur photographers worldwide. Two Canadian photographers’ images were among the 41 photo finalists. Thomas Vijayan captured an expressive photo of two grizzly bears greeting each other with a “handshake” at Katmai National Park in Alaska. Vince Maidens shot a smiling portrait of a snowy owl that landed outside the window of his house in Creemore, Ont. The awards were co-founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam to capture the humorous side of wildlife photography and promote wildlife conservation, with proceeds going to a different charity each year.
“I was driving past a mob of Western Grey Kangaroos feeding in an open field in Perth, Australia, that was filled with attractive yellow flowers. I had my camera with me, so I stopped to grab a few photos. I suddenly noticed this individual adopt a humorous pose - to me it looks like he's practising strumming on his Air Guitar.”Jason Moore/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“I caught this scene while watching birds in the Bialowieza Forest. Young greenfinch being fed by parents. However, from time to time birds looked like they were having an argument. My friends interpret this scene in two ways. A young naughty kid is arguing with a parent or one kid is reporting to the parent that its brother did something wrong: look he has broken the glass in the window.”Jacek Stankiewicz/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“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. 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.”Dakota Vaccaro/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“At Katmai National Park, Grizzly bears are in abundance and hence it is photographers paradise. However, the challenge here is clicking a unique frame. This image is full of expressions and proper eye contact by both the bears hence it is a perfect frame of love and friendship. To get this image I lied down flat on the water and stayed there for a long waiting for the right moment to click. Playful grizzly bears frolic in the wilderness, their massive paws raised in greeting. With a twinkle in their eyes, they engage in a heartwarming handshake, showcasing their camaraderie. The gentle sway of their furry bodies exudes an aura of friendliness as they bond in their natural habitat. These magnificent creatures remind us that even the mightiest can embrace playfulness and connection. Amidst the wild, a simple handshake bridges the gap between these majestic bears, sharing a moment of shared joy. They also get the fighting skills while playing with siblings..”, photographer Thomas Vijayan from Ontario.Thomas Vijayan/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“This Snowy Owl landed outside my house in Creemore, Ontario, as I was watching a movie. I opened the window and popped a lens out and made this image. Always liked the silly face it made so getting it with a straight on look was a bonus.” Photographer Vince Maidens from Creemore, Ontario.Vince Maidens/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“Took my time to watch a family of baboons at Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. There were many funny interactions. In this photo, a mischievous baby baboon plays a game of 'catch me if you can' with its patient mother. In this photo the baby baboon was very playful while the mother was trying to groom it. The baby baboon tried getting away severally and this pic is the mother holding it by the ear and the baby with a funny face and mouth wide open looking at the camera. The mother very calm looking the other way. There were other baboons playing around. With a playful tug-of-war between motherly duty and the baby's adventurous spirit, this endearing scene captures the untamed joy of the wild.”Benard Omwaka/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“The mother polar bear is pushing her hesitant young cub into the water with her leg in Spitzberg Svalbard, Norway.”Brigitte-Alcalay-Marcon/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“I know it isn't a bird and technically it does not have the faculty of flight .... but, you cannot fault this leopard's effort to get airborne. Actually she was being bothered by three young cheetahs and in particularly poor temper as the pose indicates. In Africa different cat species rarely get on, in most cases they are mortal enemies. I once saw a cheetah harass a leopard to keep it from her brood, but this was something completely different. A cheetah mother had yearlings and for some reason they took it upon themselves to cajole and then terrorize an adult leopard female. This involved posturing very close to it, knowing they had the turn of speed to elude their heavier and stronger adversary. My guide that day Charles Wandero had probably 10,000 game drives under his belt back then, but had never seen this and his experience enabled him to uncannily know where the cheetahs would flee to. After about 15 minutes of this, the assailants needed to adopt more and more foolish antics to enrage the leopard who would have easily killed them if caught and just as the three sped past us the leopard, knowing pursuit was useless skidded to an unceremonious halt. Ten minutes later it was languishing in the branch of a Boscia tree, done for the day. “Paul Goldstein/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“The swamp turtle is surprised and smiles at the dragonfly resting on its nose”Tzahi-Finkelstein/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“A Striated heron takes an unexpected plunge during a fishing expedition in the Zimanga Private Game Reserve, South Africa.”Vittorio-Ricci/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“This 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”Christian Hargasser/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“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.”Dikla Gabriely/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“With one having returned to the nest, the Northern Gannets had greeted each other with normal beak rubbing. Whilst firing off a load of shots to capture that encounter, they stopped and looked over, and at that moment this image was captured forever. How proud do they look with their chick between them!”Zoe Ashdown/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023
“An otter ballerina gracefully dances in an Arabesque position in Singapore. The otter was leaping while attempting to grasp the overhanging leaves, and during an unusual landing, it ended up in the Arabesque pose. I showed this photo to a ballet teacher, and she commented that the otter is a natural but just needs to tuck in its tummy a bit — precisely what a ballet teacher would advise.”Otter Kwek/Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023