Comedy Wildlife Awards' funniest photos - Elvis caiman, the hairy giraffe, and sneaky chameleon

A giraffe 'wearing' a tree like at hat, a caiman sporting a 1950s rock and roll hairstyle, and a mid-air squirrel pouncing on an owl all feature in our selection of the funniest entries into this years Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. They also include a dancing bird in Scotland, a squirrel who's bitten off more than he can chew, and Shailza Singhal's great shot of two elephants crossing near to the camera while dwarfing a car in the background. The photography contest always brings a smile, and has announced its shortlist of this year’s finalists with more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries. Tom Sullam, Competition Co-Founder said: "The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards started very gently, somewhere out on the vast plains of the Serengeti. What began as a small effort to raise awareness of wildlife conservation has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined. "The competition is now truly global, and a decade or so on, we want to make it even bigger, funnier, and more far-reaching than ever. We use humour to get people to feel empathy towards wildlife, and it's that empathy that creates behavioural change for the better.” Take a look through the selection of the 24 best, and let us know your favourite in the comments. Little Godzilla This squirrel had taken a bit too much in its mouth – but with a few firm bites, the greenery was made to fit. Are you kidding me? A young Great Horned Owl had barely settled onto its perch before a protective squirrel launched a surprise aerial tackle, knocking it into the grass below. The most unbelievable part? The squirrel repeated the stunt two more times. The owl and squirrel were shaken up, but unharmed. Elvis This caiman emerged from the water in an area with a lot of floating vegetation, and part of it remained on its head. It resembles a 1950s rock and roll hairstyle. The leap he'll never forget A long-tailed macaque leaps confidently between trees, but a split-second miscalculation turns the jump into a painful ordeal. Striking the trunk on landing, the monkey clutches its legs and lets out a cry of distress, a moment that highlights both the agility and the risks of life in the forest canopy. Hercules, the baboon An infant olive baboon appears to demonstrate massive strength by holding an adult above its head. Did I sleep past my alarm? That universal look of pure panic when you suddenly wake up and realise you're supposed to be at work in five minutes. Behind the comical face is a story of extreme underwater patience. This blenny was hidden inside a tiny, camouflaged tube on the reef, and it opened its mouth to feed for only a split second. Out of water On a gentle sunlit afternoon, a little sunbird excitedly set off for a five-star spa deep in the forest. From afar, he spotted a “natural bathtub” - a bright red banana blossom, filled with cool water and plenty of sweet nectar. He landed on the blossom and savoured the sweet nectar. After his treat, he hopped into the “tub” and began enjoying the refreshing, cool water. Fish-headed bird Meet the anhinga that had caught a fish. Unfortunately (or luckily) the bird had penetrated the fish with its beak during the catch. Angry bird Europe’s smallest bird, the goldcrest, wandered around on the ground searching for food. To get a perspective at eye level, the photographer placed the camera on the ground when suddenly, it came to a complete stop and looked straight into the camera. That was the exact moment this photo was taken. Resting owl face Amid the total darkness of the forest, a little owl flew silently and perched on a branch in front of a photographer, before it started to sing. Not wanting to waste this precious opportunity, they did nothing but take burst shots of this cute creature with cameras before it flew off again, aided only by the dim light of torches. Ballet dancer This image was taken in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, titled Ballet Dancer, and was taken by amateur photographer Robert Nairn with a Nikon z8 and 100-400mm lens. The ground is lava One cautious step at a time, this chameleon crossed the sandy ground as if every pebble were dangerously hot. With one hand raised and its most serious face on, it looked less like a reptile and more like a tiny green action hero. Camouflage was clearly not part of today’s plan. If I can't see you... This bull in South Africa strolled toward a group with absolute confidence, until he got within 20 yards. Suddenly, the trunk went up, the eye went into hiding, and he executed a very slow, very awkward U-turn. We’ve all been there. Just a gentle nudge… for traffic discipline. In the vast openness of Amboseli's lakebed, two elephants were crossing the landscape while a distant Jeep made its way across the horizon. The photographer's perspective brought them briefly into alignment, creating the illusion that the lead elephant was about to give the vehicle a gentle but unmistakable nudge. The calf trailing behind only added to the scene, like a quiet spectator witnessing the exchange. The secret kiss A pair of blue-winged parakeets were busy in an intimate act at the exact moment this photo was captured, as if they were engaged in exchanging a secret kiss! Two birds one vision Two little owls stand side by side during sunset in the desert of Dubai whilst one is focused on the sunset the other is focused on the photographer, creating a weird and wonderful image. Bears sharing a joke These two subadult male brown bears are doing some play-fighting - practice sparring that will prepare them to engage in real fights with adult males. Although their swipes at each other can look dangerous, they are actually 'friends' Spicy orangutan A wild orangutan in the rainforests of Borneo appears to deliver a perfectly timed gesture toward the camera. As he finishes a meal with one finger extended, it creates the unmistakable impression Smile King penguins and elephant seals share the shore in a constant game of 'don't get crushed by the 4-tonne blob'. Every time a huge seal moves, the penguins scatter like people avoiding a toddler on a scooter. Sea gangsters These walruses were resting on a beach, and 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. Lessons Amboseli was in the midst of a four-year drought, and the land was extremely parched. While observing elephants tossing dust and mud over their bodies is somewhat common, we don't think the huge plume of dust delivered directly to this youngsters face would have been possible, if not for the extreme dry conditions. Oops - I think I just parped Photographers went to see how close they could get to some hares without disturbing them. It's important to stay below the horizon when tracking hare and to disguise solid shapes - such as human shapes! Zonkling A brood of greylag goslings at Finnamore Lakes in County Offaly earlier this year. They are a regular sight in April and May, and on this day, after a swim in the lake, they snuggled down together in a fuzzy puddle. Shot with a 500mm lens from behind a gorse bush so as not to disturb their nap! While the goslings snooze, their parents keep watch, making sure nobody comes too close to their babies.