Finalists announced for 2026's funniest wildlife photography awards

The finalists for the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards have been announced, continuing the contest's tradition of celebrating the funniest moments captured in wildlife photography while drawing attention to nature conservation.

One of the standout images was taken near Clark Lake in Alaska, where a photographer caught a female brown bear in a pose resembling a morning workout – the bear appears to be performing a move similar to the "bicycle" exercise familiar from human fitness routines.

Expressive birds and animals

Also notable is an owl photographed in Nanling National Forest Park in China, caught in a moment where it seems thoroughly annoyed by the photographer's attention. In Germany, a red squirrel was pictured with such an enormous mouthful of food that the image perfectly illustrates the saying about biting off more than one can chew.

Several finalists captured pure moments of chance. In the Philippines, a school of fish was photographed just as a massive whale shark silhouette loomed up behind them, with the fish's expressions suggesting they sensed impending trouble. In California, a photographer aiming to capture a young owl instead got a squirrel flying into the frame and knocking the bird down – a trick the squirrel reportedly repeated two more times.

Human-like expressions in the wild

A particularly striking shot from Borneo shows a wild orangutan appearing to raise its middle finger after a meal. In Namibia, three meerkats lined up as if posing for a family photo, while in Peru a praying mantis was photographed seemingly relaxing leisurely on a leaf.

Organizers note that a great comedic wildlife shot often requires no script or actors – just the right split-second timing when pressing the shutter.