Joyful Moments Shine in Wildlife Photo Contest

Quick Smiles:

• This year’s Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards unveils playful animal finalists from around the globe.
• Entries captured animals dancing, hugging, high-fiving, and even engaging in cheeky selfies.
• The contest promotes conservation with a burst of laughter—no digital tricks allowed!

The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards have announced their much-anticipated 2025 finalists, celebrating the playful side of wildlife.

Photographers from 108 countries submitted nearly 10,000 comedic and stunning animal shots, competing for top prizes like a safari in the Masai Mara, Nikon gear, and more.

This year’s highlights include animals in silly poses—headlocks, high-fives, and hugs made for lots of giggles. There’s even a gorilla showing off dance moves!

The contest, founded in 2015 by Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam, aims to blend stunning photography with humor, spotlighting conservation efforts for wildlife and habitats worldwide.

“We are absolutely delighted to reveal the hotly anticipated finalists of the 2025 competition. They are a cracking collection of jaw dropping and laugh out loud photos of some of the most incredible wildlife that we share this planet with.”

The photos are all authentic—no AI or digital editing is allowed. The finalists’ stories include gorillas tumbling in Rwanda, an elephant playing peek-a-boo in Sri Lanka, and guillemots negotiating nesting drama with some accidental headlocks.

“Watching his performance was pure joy, and I’m thrilled to have captured his playful spirit in this image.”

One finalist watched a White-Tailed Sea Eagle in Japan trying to hide its fish from a rival, while another captured a crowned sifaka lemur pausing mid-gesture as if performing on stage.

“A battle of strength and wills never looked so affectionate!”

Other crowd-pleasers include a hornbill fleeing an incoming eagle, a gibbon waiting expectantly in the trees, and Asian water monitors caught in a dramatic, yet oddly loving, embrace.

The expert judges will select the winners, who will be announced at a special Awards Night in London on December 9th, followed by a finalist exhibition at Gallery@Oxo from December 10-14.

The free competition welcomes amateur and professional photographers, ensuring smiles and laughter for everyone who cares about our extraordinary natural world.

Keep the good vibes going—share these adorable moments with friends and family!

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