It’s that time of the year once again to unwind, kick back, and prepare to grin. The yearly 2022 Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards have recently revealed the finalists for this year’s competition, which showcases amusing pictures of animals from all over the world.
The Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards had shared their best entries a month ago, and they have evaluated even more photographs since then to select the final 40.
The pictures feature a variety of animals, including a cunning fox giving a wink to the camera and a squirrel that looks like it belongs in a superhero movie.
Tom Sullam, the co-founder of the contest, stated about this year’s finalists: “Amidst all the chaos happening in the world, we could all benefit from a generous amount of joy and laughter, and this year’s finalists have unquestionably provided that! These breathtaking photographs make us smile and marvel at the incredible animals that share this planet with us, and we appreciate that about the competition.”
Prepare to have a good time with a collection of finalists that are guaranteed to amuse you.
Kevin Lohman captured the image of a sly fox who knows what you’re thinking. According to him, the American Red Fox sauntered up to the edge of the woods, sat down, and then turned around and winked before vanishing into the trees.
On a Florida beach, a raccoon expresses gratitude to a photographer after receiving a shrimp snack.
A lion cub, only three months old, demonstrated his agility in an un-feline manner. He was with his sibling up in a tree, while the other lionesses were scattered on the ground and other trees. The cub, wanting to get down, moved all over the branches until he found the right spot and then took the leap of faith. As per Jennifer Hadley, the cub’s descent was a bit wobbly as it was probably his first time climbing down a tree. However, he landed safely on the ground and was unharmed. The cub then ran off with some other cubs.
Speak to the Fish! Jennifer Hadley wins another award for her photo of penguins. Two gentoo penguins on the Falkland Islands were relaxing on the shore when one shook himself off and gave his partner the cold shoulder.
The first thing you notice about this photo is how unique it is – a heron standing on the back of one hippo while another hippo yawns next to them!
A young brown bear sniffs a flower in Martinselkonen, a town located in the Finnish taiga.
A spotted owlet is seen hiding inside a pipe, appearing to strike a pose as if to say “I see you, boy.”
Arthur Telle Thiemann was glad the triggerfish didn’t attack him. Instead, they smiled at him. He writes that even though these fish can be aggressive, they did not try to bite him. However, the domeport of his camera housing ended up with some scratches. “Life is hard… at least it wasn’t me who was hurt,” he adds.
Two King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) at Volunteer Point in the Falklands. The penguin on the right appears to have a quizzical expression, possibly wondering where its mate’s head went.
In addition to its scenic beauty, Cape Hillsborough is famous for the kangaroos and wallabies that live there. Michael Eastwell shares, “I went to the area for three consecutive sunrises, but it was on my last morning that I took this stunning sight, two wallabies playing or fighting on the beach as the sun emerged through the surrounding clouds.”
“The screech-owl decided to hop rather than fly. It was somewhat lethargic.”
“Is this male moose expressing happiness… or showing signs of preparing to charge?!”
Photographer Alison Buttigieg, who was on a trip to Olare Motorogi Conservancy in Kenya, reports spending an entire morning with a pride of lions. She notes that one of the lionesses made amusing facial gestures following a yawn, and fortunately, she looked directly at the camera for a brief period, allowing Buttigieg to capture this simulated grin.
Ryan Sims shared an adorable sight from the Juanita wetlands, where he observed a duckling carefully traversing a log covered with turtles. However, the duckling fell off the log after a few crossings, making for a charming moment.
While on a frozen lake in Croatia, a swan was observed engaging in a scuffle with another swan, pursuing it around the icy surface. Interestingly, the swan’s movements appeared to resemble the “funny walk” made famous by Monty Python, despite the aggressive nature of the altercation.
The countenance of this long-tailed macaque is reminiscent of that worn by fatigued mothers all around.
Lee Zhengxing recalls encountering a small squirrel during their mountain climb in June. Instead of immediately fleeing upon noticing their approach, the squirrel remained standing on the cliff’s edge, gazing into the distance. It then turned its attention to them and appeared to be interrupted from deep thought. Zhengxing left the squirrel some biscuits as a gesture of apology and gratitude, and took a photo of it. Later, they realized that the squirrel had a speech impediment.
The photograph captures a Picasso Triggerfish in Marsa Shagra, Egypt. The fish can be seen regurgitating the remnants of coral that it had consumed while nibbling on it.
In a Florida park, Mark Schocken came across a nest occupied by an Eastern Screech Owl and its owlet. A few days before the two owlets were ready to leave the nest, one of them attempted to fit itself into the opening with its mother, perhaps in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the world outside. Schocken found the scene amusing, although it only lasted briefly as the mother owl did not appear pleased with the situation.
According to Lincoln Macgregor, a Southern Cassowary at the beachfront of Etty Bay in Australia claimed a picnic as its own, causing the picnickers to flee, and then proceeded to consume the fish and chips that were laid out. Macgregor captured an image of the bird appearing sly and content after swallowing some of the food. Despite the bird’s intimidating reputation as the “most dangerous bird in the world,” Macgregor did not attempt to chase it away since cassowaries frequently invade picnics and frighten unsuspecting tourists in that area.
Peek-a-boo! A small owl conceals itself in the flue of a dilapidated residence in Bulgaria.
Resembling a character from the Matrix film franchise, a red squirrel leaps through the rain and is photographed while airborne.
Every year, the contest provides backing to a sustainable conservation entity. This year, the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), a charitable organization from the UK that aids conservation champions who work in their native countries in the Global South, is the beneficiary.