18 silly finalists from the Comedy Wildlife People’s Choice Awards

The people have spoken…and chuckled. Fans of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards crowned Alison Tuck the winner of the Sterna People’s Choice Award. Tuck’s hilarious photo (seen above) captures the relatable frustration of a gannet on a windy day.

“My gannet image was taken on a very breezy day in Yorkshire on the Bempton Cliffs,” Tuck explained in a statement. “I love taking lots of photos especially of wildlife, from a tiny ant to a large elephant on land, a small crab to an orca whale in the sea or a tiny sun bird to a soaring raptor in the air, they all have their own history to tell within the world and for me capturing their stories is something very special.”

“Smile, you’re being photographed”
When I was photographing bears, this one year old bear cub saw it and started smiling at me. Apparently he had already had to pose in front of photographers.
Credit: Valtteri Mulkahainen / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Valtteri Mulkahainen

Forty finalists competed for top honors, including a cheeky bear, an annoyed lioness, and a duck that appears to be on a smoke break. The 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards is currently open for video and photo entries until June 30. The contest is free to enter for photographers around the world.

“Headlock!”
Two Bridled Guillemots in the midst of a domestic dispute. The island of Hornøya is always a hectic mix of chaos and noise, squabbling seabirds vying for space and nesting sites. Sometimes you just want to bite your neighbours head off–literally!
Credit: Warren Price / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“Paint Me Like One of Your Forest Girls”
Our jungle photoshoot turned Titanic real quick. This fabulous female orangutan found her stage, caught the perfect light, and struck a pose like she’d been waiting her whole life for this moment.
Credit: Michael Stavrakakis / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Michael Stavrakakis

“Darling, please stop!”
During a heavy rain, the male shakes his mane several times, annoying his partner.
Credit: Massimo FELICI / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Massimo Felici

“Aaaaaww Mum!”
Caring Gorilla mum giving her infant a big sloppy kiss!
Credit: Mark Meth-Cohn / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“Fonzies advertising”
After finishing its meal, the lemur (sifaka) began licking its fingers, and the commercial for those famous corn and cheese puffs—Fonzies—immediately sprang to mind.
Credit: Liliana Luca / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“Outdoor smoking zone”
On a cold morning I was outside taking photos at a local pond. The temperatures made the breath quite visible against the sun. I noticed a loud call from a garden fence nearby where this male mallard called a few times. It really looks like he is smoking a cigarette outside in its garden, since it is not allowed to smoke inside.
Credit: Lars Beygang / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“Battle Hug”
Two Asian water monitors were locked in battle right by a main path in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio park, Singapore. A battle of strength and wills never looked so affectionate!
Credit: Jessica Emmett / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“Bad mouthing”
These are two siblings the smaller one being the female leopard. They were playing with each other and for a moment the male just put his arm on her shoulder and appeared as if he is bad mouthing of another leopard.
Credit: Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards H.L.P.VINOD

“Peek a Boo”
A Sri Lankan Elephant playing peek a boo.
Credit: Henry Szwinto / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“Baptism Of The Unwilling Convert”
These two frogs were fighting over their territory in our pond in Maine. It looked to me like one of them was getting baptized against his will. I thought it was kind of a funny situation.
Credit: Grayson Bell / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“Hornbill In A Hurry”
This hornbill was spooked by the incoming tawny eagle and decided a quick exit was probably wise. Its ungainly departure was captured in a sequence of shots but this one for me perfectly captured the panic of the hornbill at that moment. The hornbill safely escaped although I doubt the tawny eagle was seriously interested in tackling that hornbill beak anyway.
Credit: Geoff Martin / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“Relaxing in the trees!”
This Yellow-cheeked Gibbon was just hanging out in the trees. Looks like he’s waiting for a beer to be served.
Credit: Diana Rebman / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Diana Rebman

“I Just Can’t Wait To Be King”
While photographing a pride of lions in the Serengeti, I watched as a group of cubs channeled their inner toddler tantrum, relentlessly demanding milk and attention from their mother, much to the exasperation of the adult lions. Life in the dry season is no picnic—lions are anxiously waiting for the Great Migration and the feast it promises—but it makes for some incredible wildlife behavior and these cubs were the stars of the show. For over an hour, they followed their mother around a famous Serengeti kopje—those iconic rocky outcrops that dot the landscape—alternating between trying to suckle and play. Each time the mother, already in a foul mood from the sweltering heat, would give a quick roar of disapproval and escape the circus. But the cubs, like any persistent little ones, would chase her down, nipping at her and yelping for more attention. This back-and-forth drama played out again and again, until I captured the perfect moment: the entire pride, in perfect unison, seemed to say, “Not this again!”
Credit: Bret Saalwaechter / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“Territorial Defence Operation”
Rest day in Iceland after a scientific field session of 5 weeks in Greenland. White tailed eagle was harassed by a goeland.
Credit: Antoine Rezer / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Antoine Rezer

“Go away”
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.
Credit: Annette Kirby / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“Welcome to Zen Lemur Yoga Course!”
Instructor Lemur demonstrates perfect enthusiasm, reaching high to embrace the universe. Student Lemur contemplates whether enlightenment is worth this much effort before breakfast. Flexibility? Optional. Dramatic flair? Mandatory.
Credit: Andrey Giljov / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

“If I have seen further…”
If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giant [frog] s. In a bore casing on a minesite tenement around 2 hours drive from Leonora, there live a colony of frogs. Slightly too short to see over the PVC casing, they make do wherever they can.
Credit: Andrew Mortimer / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards

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