.jpeg?trim=0,0,0,0&crop=&width=640&quality=70&enable=upscale)
From a racoon whispering a very important secret to its mum, to three polar bears enjoying a judo bout, the most hilarious wildlife pictures of the year have been revealed.
The prizewinners of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2024 will be announced on December 10, but until then you can marvel at the once-in-a-lifetime shots captured by amateur and professional photographers around the world.
There are no rules about what kind of equipment is required - pics from camera phones are allowed - the only prerequisite is that they make people giggle.
A number of awards will presented at the yet-to-be-announced ceremony, for pictures featuring mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, fish and other aquatic species, and insects.
There’s also a portfolio prize for the best four pictures taken by a single photographer, a junior category (under 16s) and a young photographer award (for under 25s).
And at the end of it all the Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year will receive a trophy and a one week safari for two people in Kenya.
Here are your finalists. Which one make you laugh the most?
37. 'Mafia Boss' by Takashi Kubo (Japan)
It looked like he was sucking a cigar, and he looked like a mafia boss. | The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2024/Takashi Kubo
.jpeg?crop=4:3&trim=&width=800)
38. 'Shake, ruffle, rattle and roll!' by Tapani Linnanmaki (Finland)
In the picture, a white-tailed eagle is ruffling its feathers. The picture was taken with the Nikon Z9's autocapture feature. The camera is placed on top of the sea ice on top of a bag of nuts at the level of the ice. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this picture. There were more than ten funny poses and expressions in the photo series. | The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2024/Tapani Linnanmaki
39. 'Parrotfish loves to be washed' by Wim Bellemans (Finland)
I saw this parrotfish with two other fishes cleaning him. The smile on his face shows that he really loves it. Picture shot while diving in Dahab, Egypt. | The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2024/Wim Bellemans
40. 'Time to cool off' by Zikri Teo (Australia)
An Adelie penguin stands over its chick as it lays flat on the rock to cool off. Due to their high level of insulation, penguin chicks can sometimes overheat and lay on the rocks with their feet out to lower their body temperature. Picture taken on Shingle Cove in the South Orkney Islands. | The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2024/Zikri Teo