The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards has released its 2026 finalists, and the shortlist is a joy to look through. Out of a record 10,000 entries from 112 countries, the competition’s organizers have narrowed the field to 43 photos, four portfolios and nine videos. The list was released on Friday, Oct. 2.
The lineup includes a brown bear doing sit-ups, an elephant covering one eye with its trunk as if it could hide, and a blenny fish that looks genuinely shocked. Two beavers seem to be posing for the cameras, a goldcrest bird looks displeased, and two elephant seals are caught playing. Photographer Doug Gimesy, who took the seal picture, said, “I hope the images I take and the information I share will encourage others to treat the natural world and all its wonderful wildlife a little more kindly.”
The contest was created in 2015 by photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, and it is free to enter for beginners, amateurs and professionals alike. Its aim is to pair wildlife photography with humor in support of conservation, and this year it is supporting the Born Free Foundation. Sullam said, “We use humor to get people to feel empathy towards wildlife, and it’s that empathy that creates behavioural change for the better.” The grand prize is a safari in Kenya’s Masai Mara Nature Reserve. With the news feeling heavy lately, a few animals pulling faces is a welcome bit of comic relief.
The winners will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 8 in London. The photos will then be shown at the city’s Oxo Gallery from Dec. 9 through Dec. 13. You can see every finalist on the competition’s website.