The funniest animal photos of 2026: Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards finalists revealed

The funniest animal photos of 2026: Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards finalists revealed This year’s competition attracted more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries - a record for the awards. From crocodiles channelling their inner Elvis Presley to a handstanding leopard and orangutans apparently flipping the bird, the finalists for the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards are finally here. This year’s shortlist is packed with 40 Individual Finalists, three U16 Category Finalists, four Portfolio Category Finalists and nine Video Category Finalists. More than 10,000 entries were submitted from 112 countries – the highest number in the Awards’ history. Tom Sullam, co-founder of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, says: “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." He added: "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.” The winners will be announced on 8 December at a awards evening in London, followed by a free exhibition showcasing the 2026 finalists from 9 to 13 December at Gallery@Oxo. Until then, take a paws and enjoy some of our personal favourite finalists of the year.