44 hilarious finalists in this year's Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Talia LakritzSep 11, 2020, 00:02 IST

This expert photobomb is a finalist in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.© Brigitte Alcalay Marcon/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The annual Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards highlight hilarious photos of animals in the wild.
Finalists in the 2020 contest have been announced.
The photos show lions, hippos, monkeys, and turtles in humorous poses and with human-like expressions.

The annual Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards highlight the funniest photos of animals taken in the wild. Keen-eyed photographers from around the world capture moments where animals seem to be experiencing very human emotions or dilemmas.

Founders Tom Sullam and Paul Joynson-Hicks started the contest to raise awareness about wildlife conservation. They hope the pictures encourage people to shop responsibly, be mindful of their water use, and speak out about environmental issues ... in addition to making people laugh.

Here are 44 finalists in this year's contest.

Arthur Telle Thiemann photographed a cheerful Mediterranean parrotfish in "Smiley."

"Smiley." © Arthur Telle Thiemann/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Thiemann took the photo in El Hierro, Canary Islands.

In "Surprise Smiles," Asaf Sereth captured dwarf mongooses popping their heads out from a rock.

"Surprise Smiles." © Asaf Sereth/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Sereth took the photo in Lake Bogoria, Kenya.

Ayala Fishaimer caught some "Tough Negotiations" between a fox and its prey.

"Tough Negotiations." © Ayala Fishaimer/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The photo was taken in Israel.

Two lions appeared to be gabbing away in "Spreading the Wildlife Gossip" by Bernhard Esterer.

"Spreading the Wildlife Gossip." © Bernhard Esterer/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The lions were located in the Kalahari Desert.

A photobombing giraffe made an appearance in Brigitte Alcalay Marcon's "Crashing into the Picture."

"Crashing into the Picture." © Brigitte Alcalay Marcon/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Marcon took the photo in Etosha National Park in Namibia.

A raccoon seemed reluctant to start the day in Charlie Davidson's "Almost Time to Get Up."

"Almost Time to Get Up." © Charlie Davidson/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Davidson took the photo in Newport News, Virginia.

Christina Holfelder photographed a gentoo penguin falling behind in "I Could Puke."

"I Could Puke." © Christina Holfelder/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Holfelder took the photo in the Falkland Islands.

In "Tern Tuning Its Wings," Danielle D'Ermo spotted a tern looking like it was playing its wing as an instrument.

"Tern Tuning Its Wings." © Daniele D'Ermo/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

D'Ermo snapped the photo in Florida.

The brown bear in Eric Fisher's photo appeared to be saying "Hi Y'all!"

"Hi Y'all." © Eric Fisher/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The bear posed in Alaska.

In "Doggo" by Esa Ringbom, a brown bear picked an unsuccessful hiding place.

"Doggo." © Esa Ringbom/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Ringbom took the photo in Kuhmo, Finland.

The Eurasian red squirrel in "The Inside Joke" by Femke van Willigen appeared to find something hilarious.

"The Inside Joke." © Femke van Willigen/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The photo was taken in Espelo, the Netherlands.

Gail Bisson titled this photo of a reddish egret "COVID Hair."

"COVID Hair." © Gail Bisson/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The egret was located in Fort Desoto, Florida.

Jacques Poulard captured a poor polar bear in "Lamentation!"

"Lamentation!" © Jacques Poulard/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Poulard spotted the bear in Spitzbergen, Norway.

Jagdeep Rajput photographed two matching Asian elephants in "Like Mother Like Daughter."

"Like Mother Like Daughter." © Jagdeep Rajput/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The elephants were walking together in Corbett National Park, India.

Rajput also took this photo of a royal Bengal tiger playing "Peekaboo."

"Peekaboo." © Jagdeep Rajput/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The tiger was found in Ranthambore National Park, India.

A raccoon hanging from a tree became the star of "Just Chillin'" by Jill Neff.

"Just Chillin'." © Jill Neff/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Neff took the photo in Jackson, Ohio.

Kay Kotzian spotted some grizzly bear mechanics in "I Think This Tire's Gonna Be Flat."

"I Think This Tire's Gonna Be Flat." © Kay Kotzian/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The bears opened shop in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

A common seal appeared to be "Having a Laugh" in this photo by Ken Crossan.

"Having a Laugh." © Ken Crossan/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The seal was laughing in Caithness, Scotland.

Krisztina Scheeff captured a greedy Atlantic puffin in "Seriously, Would You Share Some?"

"Seriously, Would You Share Some?" © Krisztina Scheeff/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Scheeff took the photo in Scotland.

Kunal Gupta photographed a mother and baby elephant in "Wait Up Mommy, Look What I Got For You!"

"Wait Up Mommy, Look What I Got For You!" © Kunal Gupta/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The elephants were located in Kaziranga, India.

In "I Had To Stay Late At Work" by Luis Burgueño, the southern elephant seal's counterpart looks doubtful.

"I Had To Stay Late At Work." © Luis Burgueño/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Burgueño took the photo in Isla Escondida in Patagonia, Argentina.

A macaque vogued for the camera in "Macaque Striking a Pose" by Luis Martí.

"Macaque Striking a Pose." © Luis Martí/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The monkey posed in the Uluwatu Temple in Bali.

A baby hippo appeared to find its mother amusing in "Laughing Hippo" by Manoj Shah.

"Laughing Hippo." © Manoj Shah/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The hippos were swimming in Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

Marcus Westberg captured a less-than-enthused mountain gorilla in "Boredom."

"Boredom." © Marcus Westberg/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Westberg took the photo in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.

Mark Fitzpatrick titled this photo "Terry the Turtle Flipping the Bird."

"Terry the Turtle Flipping the Bird." © Mark Fitzpatrick/Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Fitzpatrick spotted the turtle in Lady Elliot Island in Queensland, Australia.

In "Socially Uninhibited," Martin Grace photographed a chacma baboon scratching its behind.

"Socially Uninhibited." © /Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The baboon was located in River Chobe, Botswana.

Max Teo photographed reality hitting a smooth-coated otter in "It's the Last Day of School Holidays."

"It's the Last Day of School Holidays." © /Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The photo was taken in Singapore.

Two pig-tailed macaques got up to some "Monkey Business" in this photo by Megan Lorenz.

"Monkey Business." © /Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Lorenz took the photo in Kinabatangan River in Borneo, Malaysia.

A kestrel appeared to shush its surroundings in Mike Lessel's "Quiet Please."

"Quiet Please." © /Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

Lessel took the photo in Huntington Beach, California.

Nader Alshammari captured an eagle owl chick struggling to leave the ground in "How Can I Fly?"

"How Can I Fly?" © /Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020

The photo was taken in Sakaka Al-Jouf, Saudi Arabia.

A lion cup prepared to pounce in "I've Got You This Time!" by Olin Rogers.

The lion cubs were located in Hawange National Park, Zimbabwe.

Pearl Kasparian titled this photo "No Penguins Under Here!"

The penguins were hiding in Boulder's Beach in Cape Town, South Africa.

The rose ringed parakeet in Petr Sochman's photo appears to be saying, "Social Distance, Please!"

Sochman took the photo in Kaudulla National Park in Sri Lanka.

Ramesh Letchmanan photographed a triumphant snow monkey in "I Am Champion."

The snow monkey was bathing in Jigokudani Monkey Park in Japan.

Roland Kranitz captured a melodramatic spermophile in "O Sole Mio."

Kranitz took the photo in Hungary.

Sally Lloyd Jones caught a kingfisher flouting the rules in "It's A Mocking Bird."

The "no fishing" sign was posted in Kirkcudbright, UK.

Sue Hollis titled this photo of a sea lion "Sun Salutation Class."

Hollis photographed the sea lion in the Galapagos Islands.

Thomas Vijayan captured langurs having a blast in "Fun For All Ages."

The monkeys were swinging on a tree in Kabini, India.

An African elephant took a tumble in Tim Hearn's "Faceplant."

Hearn took the photo in Namibia.

Hearn also took this photo of an azure damselfly, titled "Hide and Seek."

The photo was taken in Devon, UK.

Vicki Jauron called this photo of a brown pelican "Abracadabra."

The photo was taken in Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

The water appeared a bit too warm for a snow monkey photographed by Wei Ping Peng, titled "So Hot."

The monkey was located in Japan.

Yarin Klein captured a goofy brown bear in "We All Have That Friend."

Klein took the photo in Kuril Lake in Kamchatka, Russia.

Yevhen Samuchenko spotted a motorcycle gang of langur monkeys in a photo called "The Race."

The monkeys were ready to ride in Hampi, India.

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