#1 Valtteri Mulkahainen, "Smile, You're Being Photographed"
#2 Alison Tuck, "Now Which Direction Is My Nest?"
#3 Stefan Cruysberghs, "Squirrel Airborne: Surrender Mode"
This year, the shortlist of incredible finalists in the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards consists of 40 standalone images, 3 portfolio entries, as well as 10 videos.
The competition has seen massive popularity. This year, in 2025, it received just under 10,000 entries from a whopping 108 countries!
The contestants are competing to win a one-week safari with Alex Walker's Serian in the Masai Mara.
Other prizes include a Z6III Nikon Camera, a Z50II Nikon Camera, and the brand new Nikon ZR, plus all the kit, courtesy of the competition’s headline partner, Nikon.
On top of that, the finalists have the chance to win photography rucksacks from ThinkTANK.
#4 Mark Meth-Cohn, "High Five"
#5 Erkko Badermann, "Landing Gears Down"
Another Red-throated Loon on the lake had turned white from the snowfall. From its behaviour I noticed that its mate was arriving at the lake, and I managed to get it in my camera’s focus against the grey sky. I lost it for a moment, but caught it again just before it landed on the water. The Red-throated Loon is quite a “poor” flier, and its landing is usually very wobbly: it seeks balance with its legs stretched backwards and then belly-lands to glide. I like to say they use the water as their runway. This time the bird came straight towards me and was so steady you might imagine it had taken flying lessons.
The photograph has travelled with me in my exhibitions, and it always elicits a chuckle from viewers. There is something funny about it. I thought it would be perfect for this competition to bring joy to its viewers.
#6 Henry Szwinto, "Peek A Boo"
The Awards were originally co-founded a decade ago, in 2015, by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam. Their goal was to create a competition that fused exceptional wildlife photography with the positive power of humor. And it’s all for the sake of promoting the conservation of wildlife and habitats that Planet Earth relies on.
The competition supports a sustainable conservation organization every year. In 2025, they are once again working with the UK charity Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), which supports conservation pioneers working in their home countries across the Global South. This year, the competition is donating 10% of its profits to WFN.
“Over the past thirty years, it has channelled £24 million to 220 conservationist leaders in 80 countries, and we are really pleased to be able to shine a spotlight on the amazing work they do and hope you will join us in supporting them.”
#7 Christy Grinton, "Bad Hair Day!"
#8 Grayson Bell, "Baptism Of The Unwilling Convert"
In this photo, these two male frogs are jockeying for territory. They will engage in physical confrontations like wrestling to defend valuable habit that will attract females. I took several shots of them, but this one in particular amused me because it looked like one was trying to baptize the other against his will.
#9 David Rice, "Omg He's At It Again!"
To be very clear, all the images featured here are real. As the organizers of the Awards stress, “the images are all authentic, and absolutely no AI or digital manipulation is permitted to create the photographs.”
The winners of the competition will be announced on December 9 at the Awards Night in London. After that, between December 10 and 14, a free exhibition showcasing all the finalists will be held at the Gallery@Oxo.
In the meantime, over the next few weeks, a panel of expert judges will be picking their favorite entries.
The judges this year are:
- Nikon Creators Cameron Whitnall, Hannah Stitfall, and Roxy Furman
- TV presenter Kate Humble
- Actor and comedian Hugh Dennis
- World-renowned wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas
- Nikon Ambassador Daisy Gilardini
- Wildlife expert and co-founder of The Born Free Foundation, Will Travers OBE
- Conservationist Bella Lack
#10 John Speirs, "It Is Tough Being A Duck"
#11 Warren Price, "Headlock"
#12 Geoff Martin, "Hornbill In A Hurry"
“The Nikon Comedy Wildlife finalists are in, and we’re excited to share with you the brilliant images showcasing unique talent of photographers from every corner of the globe. These images combine wit and wonder to celebrate nature’s character, while emphasising the urgency of conservation. At Nikon, we’re proud to support a competition that sparks joy while reminding us why our wild world is worth protecting,” said Stefan Maier, Nikon Europe Senior General Manager Marketing.
Meanwhile, Tom Sullam, co-founder of the competition, had this to say: “We had an awesome year last year and are absolutely delighted to be able to partner with the Nikon team again for 2025. Their ongoing support has supercharged the competition, reaching more people in more countries than ever before, helping us raise awareness of animal and habitat conservation and crucially, highlight the fundamental importance of having wildlife on our planet and in our lives,” he said.
“These inspiring and funny photos and videos do just that. It’s a privilege to be part of this exciting journey, making us all laugh and we can’t wait to announce the winners in December.”
#13 Paula Rustemeier, "Hit The Dance Floor!"
The photo was taken in a nature reserve. They don't get hunted there and therefore are seen during the day as well. Something I found true with all areas with low hunting pressure that I've been to so far.
I'm not the biggest fan of camouflaging. While I do use it occasionally, the best way I have found to photograph them, especially young ones, is just being present. If you put in the time, I found that the foxes usually get either curious or see you as something natural, not dangerous. Either way, they come close eventually. I had several foxes nipping at my shoes already like this, as well as foxes catching mice just a couple meters away from me!
This was my tactic with these foxes too. Like this, I could follow and document them for several months while they grew up. Their den lied in a sandy valley. Sometimes I found one or two sleeping in that area during the day, but when dawn set, they met up at this spot, got really active and often played a lot together, just like in the image.
The time with them taught me a lot about their social behavior. I saw them fight, hunt, sleep, groom - and of course play, which is always my favorite to watch! You really have to giggle a lot watching foxes play with their quirky personalities.
Since then, I had been photographing and following fox cubs every spring/summer and had much more amazing encounters with foxes and also other wildlife. :)
#14 Bingqian Gao, "What Do You Mean I Need To See A Dentist?"
And now, as this photo becomes a Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards finalist, I hope it brings a laugh to others too. But beneath the humour lies a quiet truth: marine life is fragile, especially as oceans acidify and ecosystems shift. Without comprehensive healthcare like ours, even small ailments can become fatal.
Through empathy and mindful choices, I hope we can create a world where wildlife can thrive as we do.
#15 Meline Ellwanger, "The Choir"
This year’s competition categories include the following:
- Alex Walker’s Serian Mammals Category
- Spectrum Photo Birds Category
- ThinkTANK Reptiles and Amphibians Category
- Fish and Other Aquatic Species
- Insects Category
- Nikon Young Photographer (up to 25yrs)
- Nikon Junior Category (up to 16 yrs)
- Amazing Internet Portfolio Category
- Nikon Video Category
Meanwhile, the People’s Choice Award, where the public can vote for their favorite entry, will be open from December 10 until March 1, 2026. The winner will be announced on March 12, 2026.
#16 Andrey Giljov, "Welcome To Zen Lemur Yoga Course!"
#17 Diana Rebman, "Relaxing In The Trees!"
#18 Magnus Berggren, "Masquerading As An Arrow"
We can’t wait to hear what you think, Pandas! Which of these finalist entries did you enjoy the most? Which photos made you giggle the hardest? From an artistic standpoint, which images do you think deserve the top spot? Are you going to the Gallery@Oxo to see the finalists’ exhibition in person?
Will you be entering the competition next year? Grab a cup of coffee, upvote your favorite pics, and scroll down to the bottom of the post to share your thoughts in the comments.
#19 Michael Stavrakakis, "Paint Me Like One Of Your Forest Girls"
#20 David Fettes, "Great Hair Day"
