Hilarious animal photos from this year’s Comedy Wildlife Awards
Organizers of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards have revealed their 2026 finalists, showcasing candid and humorous moments captured across the animal kingdom. This year marks a historic milestone for the contest, drawing more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries. The competition whittled the massive pool down to just over 50 selections, including 40 individual finalists alongside submissions in under-16, portfolio, and video categories. Notable shortlisted pieces feature an exercising bear, an Elvis-like crocodile, posing beavers, an elephant playing hide and seek, and a gosling photographed by an Irish participant.
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- ✓ The 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards received more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries.
- ✓ The shortlist comprises 40 individual finalists alongside categories for under-16, portfolio, and video entries.
- ✓ Winners of the 2026 competition will be announced on December 8.
What changed
Organizers released the shortlist of finalists for the 2026 competition following a record-breaking submission phase.
Live updates
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Finalists Revealed for the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
Organizers of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards have revealed their 2026 finalists, showcasing candid and humorous moments captured across the animal kingdom. This year marks a historic milestone for the contest, drawing more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries. The competition whittled the massive pool down to just over 50 selections, including 40 individual finalists alongside submissions in under-16, portfolio, and video categories. Notable shortlisted pieces feature an exercising bear, an Elvis-like crocodile, posing beavers, an elephant playing hide and seek, and a gosling photographed by an Irish participant.
Why it matters
The annual competition celebrates the lighter, more humorous side of wildlife photography, offering photographers a platform to highlight playful animal behavior. Winners across the categories are scheduled to be announced on December 8. The growing participation numbers demonstrate the widespread international appeal of wildlife conservation messaging delivered through humor.
What is confirmed
- The 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards received more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries.
- The shortlist comprises 40 individual finalists alongside categories for under-16, portfolio, and video entries.
- Winners of the 2026 competition will be announced on December 8.
What to watch next
- The official announcement of the 2026 category winners on December 8.
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (23)
- theguardian.com — Comedy wildlife photography award finalists 2026 – in pictures
- BBC — Yoga bears to resting owl face: 10 of the funniest animal photos of 2026
- RTE.ie — Irish woman's gosling photo shortlisted for comedy award
- www.cnn.com — Hilarious animal photos from this year’s Comedy Wildlife Awards
- CNN — Hilarious animal photos from this year’s Comedy Wildlife Awards
- Yahoo — These are the funniest wildlife photos of the year — and you better believe there’s a ‘sexy mantis’
- BBC Wildlife Magazine — Funniest animal photos of 2026 announced (number 7 is utterly hilarious)
- www.aol.com — From an Exercising Bear to Posing Beavers, View the Finalists for the 2026 Comedy Wildlife Awards - AOL
- edition.cnn.com — Trump floats firing top political advisers after report they helped a pro-Russian government - CNN
- www.euronews.com — The funniest animal photos of 2026: Nikon Comedy Wildlife ...
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com — From a “Sexy Mantis” to a “Spicy Orangutan”: 10 funniest ...
- www.yahoo.com — A Froggy Faceplant, A "Sexy" Mantis: Sidesplitting Finalists From the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
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