Comedy wildlife photography awards 2024 – in pictures
Loved-up brown bears and whispering raccoons feature in this light-hearted look at a selection of finalists from the Nikon Comedy Wildlife awards. A winner will be announced on 10 December
Matt Fidler
Thu 26 Sept 2024 08.00 BST
Hello world
Black hole with ant peering through autumn leaf
In a dark forest in Maashorst in the Netherlands last autumn, a happy red ant looks down at us. I like the tones of the autumn leaf. So warm. The ant was fast, but with a little help of a flashlight I was able to freeze the motion
Photograph: Alex Pansier
Mantis flamenca
Mantis mediterranea holding arms up in a comedic pose
On my way back in the car from a photo walk around a marsh near my town (Onda in Spain), I braked suddenly. This was when I first saw my friend, the Flemish mantis. You can imagine the faces inside the passing vehicles, seeing a car with its indicators on, the door open, and a madman lying on the ground with his camera
Photograph: Jose Miguel Gallego Molina
The speed skater
A Steller’s sea eagle skating on ice
A Steller’s sea eagle in drifting sea ice off the coast of Rausu, Hokkaido, Japan
Photograph: Mark Meth-Cohn
In love
Bears hugging in a lake
After the meeting ... comes the best hug. Bears in Sitka, Alaska
Photograph: Andrea Rosado
Smooching owlets
Three spotted owlets on a branch
It was truly a funny sight to see two spotted owlets (in Gurgaon, India) trying to get some privacy as their offspring stood next to them with a grin and closed eyes
Photograph: Sarthak Ranganadhan
I’ll tell you a secret
Three racoons in a tree
A tiny raccoon whispers into her mother’s ear in Germany
Photograph: Jan Piecha
Easy fellas – Hajime
Three polar bears on ice with the one in the middle standing
Hajime is the term used by the referee in Judo to invite opponents to start fighting. Here, the standing polar bear appears to adopt the gesture to prepare the other bears to fight (Arctic wildlife refuge, Alaska)
Photograph: Philippe Ricordel
Hide and seek
Cheetah hiding behind a tree with a Topi in the background
We were on safari in Kenya and saw this beautiful female cheetah looking for a mate. A group of topi were also keeping a close eye her as she left messages for a potential partner on various trees. This shot makes me think the cheetah is about to shout: ‘Ready or not, here I come!’
Photograph: Leslie Mcleod
The contemplative chimpanzee
Chimpanzee scratches his chin in jungle
This was shot in the jungles of Uganda when following a group of about 50 chimpanzees. They were clearly thinking how close chimpanzees are to humans
Photograph: Arvind Mohandas
Mafia boss
Flying squirrel in a tree sucking on small twig
This flying squirrel in Hokkaido, Japan, looked as if he was sucking a cigar, like a mafia boss
Photograph: Takashi Kubo
All via (& a few more)
A light-hearted look at wildlife with a selection of finalists from the Nikon Comedy Wildlife awards. A winner will be announced on 10 Decem
Animal: African Wild Dog. Location of shot: Lion Sands Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, SA.
“I photographed this Painted Wolf at Lion Sands Game Reserve, a protected reserve with open borders next to the Kruger National Park in South Africa. It is wearing a tracker because, sadly, this species is endangered and is therefore being closely monitored by scientists. There may only be 1400 left in the wild, and 300 left in this part of Africa with one of the main reasons for this being persecution from humans. We need to learn to love our beaming neighbors!”
Last month my mom sent me a link with a story about a pack of desert lions in Namibia that decided to move to the beach in a search for food, and I've been thinking about it since I read it, like
Imagine finding those big girls in a beach, of all places
A pack of desert lions in Namibia is adapting to the rugged terrain of the Atlantic coast, and wildlife photographer Griet Van Malderen is d
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