Silly Bears and Odd Birds Among the 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards Finalists — See the Shots

This year’s shortlist includes images of balancing otters, sunbathing sea lions, and other amusing critters

From a photogenic owl to a guitar-shredding kangaroo, animals are full of surprises.

The finalists for this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards — founded by photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam in 2015 — all have their own amusing talents. The annual photo competition’s shortlist, announced this week, features some of the silliest critters caught on camera, with 41 finalists picked from the thousands of entries into the 2023 contest.

The 2023 People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Affinity Photo, gives the photographers in the running a chance to take home £500 (approximately $600) and is even helping give back by supporting the U.K. conservationist charity, the Whitley Fund for Nature.

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This year, TV presenter Kate Humble and comedian Hugh Dennis will serve as judges alongside photographers Daisy Gilardini, Will Bullard-Lucas, and others. The overall winner will be announced on Nov. 23. A week-long safari trip to Kenya is among the prizes for the top photographer.

Last year’s winner was Jennifer Hadley with the photo “Not So Cat-Like Reflexes,” which featured a big cat dealing with a big problem!

“Through the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, we aim to widen understanding and engagement of a sustainable world – and wildlife conservation specifically – for the preservation of biodiversity and the health and enrichment of everyone on Earth,” a statement on the awards’ website reads.

Related: Finalists Announced in the 2023 Comedy Pet Photography Awards — See the Photos!

Look below for a selection of finalist photos, and check out the photography awards’ website to see all of this year’s finalists.

Sergey Savvi with “Scream”

Tzahi Finkelstein with “The Happy Turtle”

Dikla Gabriely with “Picture Me! Picture Me!!”

Vince Maiden with “Mona Lisa Smile”

Pratick Mondal with “Look At Right Bro…”

Thomas Vijayan with “Teddy Buddies”

Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon with “Ready Steady Go”

Danielle Goonan with “Part of Your World”

Christian Hargasser with “Hang Loose”

Brandi Romano with “Right of Way”

Otter Kwek with “Otter Ballerina”

Matti Rauvala with “Fake News!”

Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven with “Flossing Beaver”

Kawing Chiu with “Living the Moment”

Delphine Casimir with “The Rainforest Dandy”

Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon with “Just a Kiss”

Paul Goldstein with “Air Apparent”

Jacek Stankiewicz with “Dispute”

Lara Mathews with “Boing”

Jason Moore with “Air Guitar Roo”

Adrian Slazok with “Everyone Can Fly”

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