Hilarious Animal Moments Unveiled as Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2026 Finalists Announced

A tiny bird looking decidedly unimpressed, a water buffalo seemingly wearing an elaborate green bonnet, and an owl facing an airborne squirrel are among the finalists in this year's Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. The 2026 shortlist has been revealed after the competition received more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries, marking the highest number in its history.

Forty photographs have been selected as individual finalists, alongside three entries in the under-16 category, four portfolios, and nine videos. The images capture animals in a series of amusing poses and encounters, from a tiny bird staring directly into the camera to a young elephant disappearing in a cloud of dust.

Among them is British photographer Andy Rouse's Doris with her Hat, taken in Sri Lanka. The image shows a water buffalo lifting its head while covered in vegetation, giving the appearance of wearing an elaborate headdress. Another entry, Push Over, was taken by Austrian photographer Barbara Seiberl-Stark during her first safari in Zimbabwe. It captures a group of young lions playing in a dried-up riverbed, with one appearing to shove another to the ground.

Other photographs show the more chaotic side of the animal world, such as a squirrel leaping towards a young great horned owl perched on a branch, or an elephant calf being engulfed by plumes during an adult elephant's dust bath.

The annual competition was founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam as a way of combining wildlife photography and humour while raising awareness of conservation. “What began as a small effort to raise awareness of wildlife conservation has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined,” Sullam said.

This year's competition is supporting the Born Free Foundation, an international wildlife charity that works to protect animals from exploitation and conserve threatened species and habitats, donating 10 per cent of its profits to the organisation.

The finalists will be assessed by a judging panel including TV presenter Kate Humble; actor and comedian Hugh Dennis; comedian Stuart Goldsmith; author and presenter Roma Wells; and wildlife photographers Will Burrard-Lucas, Daisy Gilardini, Will Fortescue, and Jamie Smart.

The overall winner, category winners, and highly commended entries will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on December 8, with the overall winner receiving a safari in Kenya's Masai Mara. The finalists will also be exhibited at Gallery@Oxo in London from December 9-13, and voting for the People's Choice Award is open until March 1, 2027.