The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards were co-founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam to create a competition that fused exceptional wildlife photography and the positive power of humour in a bid to help promote the conservation of wildlife and habitats that our precious planet relies on. Each year the competition supports a sustainable conservation organisation and this year Comedy Wildlife are delighted to be working with the Born Free Foundation
The Overall Winner, Category and Highly Commended Winners will be announced on Tuesday 8thDecember at an Awards Night in London, which will be followed by a glorious exhibition for one week (and one week only)from 9 -13 December showcasing all the 2026 Award Finalists at the Gallery@Oxo, thanks to the support of our awesome competition partners at Nikon
. Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Finalists During my expedition to Svalbard Archipelago in the Autumn of 2024, I visited small Moffen Island. There were a couple of groups of Walruses resting on the beach. They were very relaxed lying next to each other, presumably to conserve body heat in the freezing Arctic temperatures. These animals are incredibly social, frequently lounging in large, tightly packed herds.Autumn 2024, Svalbard (Moffen Island). While I was sitting on the beach, minding my own business and enjoying a majestic Arctic sunrise, the local mafia decided to roll up on me. Walruses are basically giant, blubbery cuddle-bugs who pile on top of each other for warmth and gossiping. But out of nowhere, a squad of eight of them swam right up to check me out, using their whiskers to scan me like human security. They spent 10 minutes giving me the ultimate Arctic inspection before swimming off. Managed to capture them popping up all at once—looking like absolute Sea Gangsters about to drop the hardest album of 2024. Unforgettable
A gang of Walruses on Moffen Island pop up for a look | Marek Jackowski
5. Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Finalists A tiny green mantis peeks over a leaf during a night walk in an area of Cusco, Peru, that is still waiting to be protected. I decided to enter this photograph because almost everyone I showed it to had the same reaction: they laughed immediately, even if they could not quite explain why.
Diego Perez
6. Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Finalists I took this photo in 2025 in the Masai Mara, Kenya, in the Oltepesi area. Three young giraffes were standing side by side on the open, dry savanna and looked back at me with great curiosity. Then I noticed that right behind the middle one stood a single umbrella acacia, perfectly lined up with its head and neck. Suddenly that giraffe seemed to be 'wearing' the tree, like a green hairdo or a rather fancy hat
Dirk Koster
7. Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Finalists A polar bear contemplates an ivory gull in the pack ice north of Svalbard. Polar bears are opportunistic and will eat birds' eggs when they find them. This bear must have wandered near a nest, as several ivory gulls harassed her for quite a while. I captured a number of images, including some where the gull appeared to be guiding the bear through the pack ice or traveling alongside her as a companion. At one point, the bear lay down and the gull landed nearby, allowing me to capture this photo of the two seeming to contemplate each other.
Eric Boren
8. Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards Finalists During my photo trip to the island of Helgoland, I encountered a goldcrest for the very first time - and it was love at first sight. Europe’s smallest bird wandered around on the ground right in front of me, presumably searching for food. To get a perspective at eye level, I placed my camera on the ground. My heart was pounding, and my finger was glued to the shutter as the tiny bird darted back and forth every second. Suddenly, it came to a complete stop and looked straight into the camera. That was the exact moment this photo was taken.
Jan Wittmer