Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020 finalists revealed

13 September 2020

The finalists of this year's Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have been announced, each one showing the power of anthropomorphism.

A fish appearing to smile at the camera — Image caption,
Smiley, by Arthur Telle Thiemann. A Sparisoma cretense in El Hierro, Canary Islands

A fish that appears to smile, a bear giving a friendly wave from afar and a very grumpy sea turtle - this year's finalists show animals in relatable comedy moments.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards were founded by Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, both professional photographers and passionate conservationists.

In addition to providing some light-hearted relief, the competition aims to highlight the extremely important message of wildlife conservation in an engaging and positive way, working with competition partner The Born Free Foundation.

The winners will be announced at an online awards ceremony on 22 October.

In the meantime, here are a few finalists' entries that might give you a chortle.

A giraffe looking sideways into the photographic frame of another giraffe

Brigitte Alcalay Marcon

Crashing into the picture, by Brigitte Alcalay Marcon. Giraffes in Etosha National Park, Namibia

A bear holding up its paw and looking up at the camera

Eric Fisher

Hi Y'all, by Eric Fisher. A brown bear in Alaska

A bird ruffling its wings

Daniele D'Ermo

Tern tuning its wings, by Daniele D'Ermo, Florida

A turtle appearing to be gesticulating at the camera

Mark Fitzpatrick

Terry the Turtle flipping the bird, by Mark Fitzpatrick, Lady Elliot Island, Queensland, Australia

A parrot holding up its foot to another parrot

Petr Sochman

Social distance please, by Petr Sochman. Rose-ringed parakeets in Kaudulla national park, Sri Lanka

A gorilla looking bored

Marcus Westberg

Boredom, by Marcus Westberg. A mountain gorilla in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda

Two bears, one playing around and one looking grumpy

Yarin Klein

We all have that friend, by Yarin Klein. Brown bears at Kuril Lake, Kamchatka, Russia

A young fox looking down at a rodent

Ayala Fishaimer

Tough Negotiations, by Ayala Fishaimer. A fox and a rodent in Israel

A group of penguins walking on a beach with one of them throwing up

Christina Holfelder

I could puke, by Christina Holfelder. Gentoo penguins in the Falkland Islands

A monkey scratching its bottom

Martin Grace

Socially Uninhibited, by Martin Grace. A chacma baboon near River Chobe, Botswana

Four mongoose looking up with wide eyes

Asaf Sereth

Surprise Smiles, by Asaf Sereth. Dwarf mongoose at Lake Bogoria, Kenya

A bird with wet spiky feathers

Gail Bisson

Covid Hair, by Gail Bisson. A Reddish egret in Fort Desoto, Florida

A large seal lying on a rock appearing to laugh

Ken Crossan

Having a Laugh, by Ken Crossan. A common seal in Caithness, Scotland

A kingfisher on a "no fishing" sign with a fish in its mouth

Sally Lloyd Jones

It's a Mocking Bird, by Sally Lloyd Jones. A kingfisher in Kirkcudbright, Scotland

A monkey in water looking shocked at the temperature of the water

Wei Ping Peng

So hot, by Wei Ping Peng. A snow monkey in Japan

A bird with its wings outstretched behind another bird

Vicki Jauron

Abracadabra, by Vicki Jauron. Brown pelicans in Fort Myers Beach, Florida

A red squirrel appearing to be chortling

Femke-van-Willigen

The inside joke, by Femke-van-Willigen. A Eurasian red squirrel in Espelo, the Netherlands

A raccoon with its legs sticking out of a hole in a tree

Charlie Davidson

Almost time to get up, by Charlie Davidson. A raccoon in Newport News, Virginia

A monkey swinging on the tails of two other monkeys

Thomas Vijayan

Fun For All Ages, by Thomas Vijayan. Langurs in Kabini, India

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