Bears, birds and kangaroos: Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards

The finalists in this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have been announced. Here is a selection of those that were whittled down from thousands of entries submitted from professional and amateur photographers from around the world, along with comment from the photographers. The winners will be announced on 23 November.

“I was driving past a mob of western grey kangaroos feeding in an open field that was filled with attractive yellow flowers.

“I had my camera with me, so I stopped to grab a few photos. I suddenly noticed this individual adopt a humorous pose – to me it looks like he’s practising strumming on his air guitar.”

“The swamp turtle is surprised, and smiles at the dragonfly resting on its nose.”

“I had visited Suffolk for a few days to try and track down a few target species, but decided on a detour to the RSPB’s Minsmere reserve.

“It was a hot day and I was cooling off in one of the bird hides.

“When I noticed this Egyptian goose flying to this small island, I immediately focused on the avocet, knowing that it was going to charge in and see off the goose.”

“I know it isn’t a bird, and technically it does not have the faculty of flight, but you cannot fault this leopard’s effort to get airborne. Actually she was being bothered by three young cheetahs and in a particularly poor temper as the pose indicates.”

“This young chacma baboon is sitting on its mother’s back playing the fool.”

“In late autumn, seals leave the North Sea to give birth to their young.”

“This photo was taken in the evening in low light in the Masai Mara.”

“At Katmai National Park grizzly bears are in abundance and hence it is a photographer’s paradise. However, the challenge here is clicking a unique frame.”

This picture was taken in the monkey forest in Ubud, Bali. This is a crazy place where monkeys are king.”

“I caught this scene while watching birds in the Bialowieza Forest. A young greenfinch was still fed by parents, however, from time to time the birds looked like they were having an argument.”

“Taken at Westerfolds Park, a beautiful and surprisingly wild pocket of land in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, famous for its kangaroo population. The mob was enjoying some morning sunshine when this joey decided to get silly and try his hand at boxing.”

“This picture was taken in Spitsbergen during a very cold winter. The white grouse is coming towards me and looks like a snowball with eyes.”

“This great grey owl spent most of the afternoon posing majestically and looking, well, wise. But for a moment or two after doing some elegant stretching, he/she would slump and give a look of ‘is Monday over yet?’.”

“This polar bear cub found this wood pretty amusing and was playing with it when it suddenly stopped and stood up, using it almost like a performer does at times.”

“At RSPB Bempton Cliffs, each year between March and October, about half a million seabirds use the chalk cliffs towering above the North Sea to nest and raise a family.

“Gannets mate for life and they return to the same nest year after year to raise their young.

“Lying safely at the top of the cliff face, I was able to observe the affection shown between the gannets each time one returned to the nest. They have a greeting ritual, they rub beaks and entwine their necks; it’s how they strengthen their bond. But it’s also a brilliant opportunity to catch them in various poses.

“I didn’t realise I’d taken this image until I got home, but as soon as I saw it I laughed out loud. They look like proud parents, posing with their baby – definitely one for the family album.”

All photographs courtesy of Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2023.