A sneak peek at some of the best 2025 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards submissions

Front runners of the 2025 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards are revealing some of the best entries so far in the 2025 contest. Over a thousand entries have already been received from around the world. The contest was founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam to focus on "the lighter side of wildlife photography" and to help promote conservation with humor. In line with its mission, the Comedy Wildlife Awards support a conservation organization each year. This year's partner is the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), a UK charity that supports conservation leaders working in their home countries throughout the Global South. The charity has been funding conservation for over 30 years, helping more than 220 conservationists in 80 countries. The popular competition is still open for submissions through June 30, so there's still time to submit if you have your own funny wildlife captures. There are nine different categories, including Alex Walker’s Serian Mammals Category, Spectrum Photo Birds Category, Fish and Other Aquatic Species, Nikon Young Photographer, Nikon Junior Category and more. It's free to enter, and winners will earn prizes like a safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya for the top prize, a Nikon Z50II with 16-50mm VR kit for the Junior Category winner and a Nikon Z6II with 24-120mm kit for the Young Photographer Category winner. All category winners will receive a ThinkTank bag. You can learn more and submit your images at the contest website. Go away Photographer: Annette Kirby Title: Go away Animal: White Tailed Sea Eagle Location of image: Hokkaido, Japan Description: This was taken in Japan where I was observing a White-Tailed Sea Eagle putting their fish in a hole and protecting it. This one had a fish and saw another Eagle coming in to try and steal it. Go give it a try! Photographer: Bhargava Srivari Title: Go give it a try! Animal: Lion Location of image: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya Description: The image shows Lion siblings at play, where one of the siblings seems to pushing the other one to do stuff that annoys their mom. Lions aren't natural climbers, so it looks like one sibling is encouraging the other to do something naughty! I hate Ikea Photographer: Brian Hempstead Title: I hate Ikea Animal: Common Myna Nest Build Location of image: Kruger NP South Africa Description: Photo taken at Kruger NP South Africa outside Skukuza Camp on Lower Sabie Rd at Sunset Dam in October and November during a self driving birding trip around National Parks of South Africa Laugh like no-one is watching Photographer: Emma Parker Title: Laugh like no-one is watching Animal: Blue Spotted Mudskipper Location of image: Western Australia Description: Two joyful mudskippers look they are having the best time in the mud - I just wish I knew what the joke was! Mud is fun Happy deer Photographer: Jeremy Duvekot Title: Happy deer Animal: Roedeer Location of image: The Netherlands Description: This roedeer was yofull running around and suddenly coming my way. Had only 1 chance and nailed it. Aaaaaww Mum! Photographer: Mark Meth-Cohn Title: Aaaaaww Mum! Animal: Gorilla Location of image: Rwanda Description: Caring Gorilla mum giving her infant a big sloppy kiss! Queueing for the polar plunge Photographer: Martin Schmid Title: Queueing for the polar plunge Animal: Gentoo Penguins Location of image: Neumayer Channel, Antarctica Description: A really spontaneous shot from an expedition ship in Antarctica. Those gentoo penguins seemed to orderly wait in queue to finally jump into the sea. Taken in January 2025. Commandeer Photographer: Rachelle Mackintosh Title: Commandeer Animal: Galapagos marine iguana and lava lizard Location of image: Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador Description: A lava lizard takes charge of a Galapagos marine iguana and sets off on a ride. Judging by the iguana's possessed eyes, lava lizard may have taken over its soul, too. These two silly billies were hanging out with a big bunch of marine iguanas on a rocky beach. Photographed handheld on Fernandina Island in the Galapagos Islands in Oct 2023. Waving Dragon Photographer: Trevor Rix Title: Waving Dragon Animal: Gippsland Waterdragon Location of image: Murrumbidgee River near Canberra, ACT, Australia Description: Wandering along the Murrumbidgee River we spotted a few lizards sc urrying under the rocks looking for lunch, next thing this junior Gippsland Waterdragon popped up and gave us a friendly wave. The wig Photographer: Yann Chauvette Title: The wig Animal: Greater One-Horned Rhino Location of image: Chitwan National Park, Nepal Description: A Greater One-Horned Rhino feasting on aquatic fine dining, diving underwater and getting back up with a new wig made out of his delicious meal.

Jun 3, 2025 - 21:05
 0
A sneak peek at some of the best 2025 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards submissions

Front runners of the 2025 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

five images of animals placed against white background

The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards are revealing some of the best entries so far in the 2025 contest. Over a thousand entries have already been received from around the world. The contest was founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam to focus on "the lighter side of wildlife photography" and to help promote conservation with humor.

In line with its mission, the Comedy Wildlife Awards support a conservation organization each year. This year's partner is the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), a UK charity that supports conservation leaders working in their home countries throughout the Global South. The charity has been funding conservation for over 30 years, helping more than 220 conservationists in 80 countries.

The popular competition is still open for submissions through June 30, so there's still time to submit if you have your own funny wildlife captures. There are nine different categories, including Alex Walker’s Serian Mammals Category, Spectrum Photo Birds Category, Fish and Other Aquatic Species, Nikon Young Photographer, Nikon Junior Category and more. It's free to enter, and winners will earn prizes like a safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya for the top prize, a Nikon Z50II with 16-50mm VR kit for the Junior Category winner and a Nikon Z6II with 24-120mm kit for the Young Photographer Category winner. All category winners will receive a ThinkTank bag. You can learn more and submit your images at the contest website.

Go away

an eagle has a look of surprise sitting in snow

Photographer: Annette Kirby

Title: Go away

Animal: White Tailed Sea Eagle

Location of image: Hokkaido, Japan

Description: This was taken in Japan where I was observing a White-Tailed Sea Eagle putting their fish in a hole and protecting it. This one had a fish and saw another Eagle coming in to try and steal it.

Go give it a try!

a lion climbs a tree while another stands beneath it

Photographer: Bhargava Srivari

Title: Go give it a try!

Animal: Lion

Location of image: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Description: The image shows Lion siblings at play, where one of the siblings seems to pushing the other one to do stuff that annoys their mom. Lions aren't natural climbers, so it looks like one sibling is encouraging the other to do something naughty!

I hate Ikea

a tiny bird sits on branch next to giant nest made of sticks

Photographer: Brian Hempstead

Title: I hate Ikea

Animal: Common Myna Nest Build

Location of image: Kruger NP South Africa

Description: Photo taken at Kruger NP South Africa outside Skukuza Camp on Lower Sabie Rd at Sunset Dam in October and November during a self driving birding trip around National Parks of South Africa

Laugh like no-one is watching

two mudskippesr in mud with mouths open

Photographer: Emma Parker

Title: Laugh like no-one is watching

Animal: Blue Spotted Mudskipper

Location of image: Western Australia

Description: Two joyful mudskippers look they are having the best time in the mud - I just wish I knew what the joke was! Mud is fun

Happy deer

a deer appears to float over frosted grass

Photographer: Jeremy Duvekot

Title: Happy deer

Animal: Roedeer

Location of image: The Netherlands

Description: This roedeer was yofull running around and suddenly coming my way. Had only 1 chance and nailed it.

Aaaaaww Mum!

a gorilla holds baby gorilla close while kissing face

Photographer: Mark Meth-Cohn

Title: Aaaaaww Mum!

Animal: Gorilla

Location of image: Rwanda

Description: Caring Gorilla mum giving her infant a big sloppy kiss!

Queueing for the polar plunge

penguins line up on ice while one jumps into water

Photographer: Martin Schmid

Title: Queueing for the polar plunge

Animal: Gentoo Penguins

Location of image: Neumayer Channel, Antarctica

Description: A really spontaneous shot from an expedition ship in Antarctica. Those gentoo penguins seemed to orderly wait in queue to finally jump into the sea. Taken in January 2025.

Commandeer

a smaller lizard sits on the head of a larger one

Photographer: Rachelle Mackintosh

Title: Commandeer

Animal: Galapagos marine iguana and lava lizard

Location of image: Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Description: A lava lizard takes charge of a Galapagos marine iguana and sets off on a ride. Judging by the iguana's possessed eyes, lava lizard may have taken over its soul, too. These two silly billies were hanging out with a big bunch of marine iguanas on a rocky beach. Photographed handheld on Fernandina Island in the Galapagos Islands in Oct 2023.

Waving Dragon

a lizard sits on rock with arm up like its waving

Photographer: Trevor Rix

Title: Waving Dragon

Animal: Gippsland Waterdragon

Location of image: Murrumbidgee River near Canberra, ACT, Australia

Description: Wandering along the Murrumbidgee River we spotted a few lizards sc urrying under the rocks looking for lunch, next thing this junior Gippsland Waterdragon popped up and gave us a friendly wave.

The wig

a rhino in water covered with aquatic plants

Photographer: Yann Chauvette

Title: The wig

Animal: Greater One-Horned Rhino

Location of image: Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Description: A Greater One-Horned Rhino feasting on aquatic fine dining, diving underwater and getting back up with a new wig made out of his delicious meal.