14 hilarious finalists from the 2025 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
“While photographing a pride of lions in the Serengeti, I observed a group of lion cubs channeling their inner toddler anger, relentlessly demanding milk and attention from their mother, much to the dismay of the adult lions,” writes photographer Bret Saalwaechter.
“Life during the dry season is no picnic – lions eagerly await the Great Migration and the feast it promises – but it makes for some incredible wildlife behavior and these lion cubs were the stars of the show. For over an hour, they followed their mother around a famous Serengeti kopje – those iconic rock outcrops that dot the landscape – alternating between trying to suckle and playing. Each Once, the mother, already in a bad mood from the stifling heat, let out a quick roar of disapproval and escape from the circus, but the cubs, like all persistent cubs, chased after her, nipping at her and screaming for more attention. This back-and-forth drama played out over and over again, until I captured the perfect moment: all the pride, in unison, seemed to say, “Not that again!”
Saalwaechter’s photograph of the encounter (see above) is now a finalist in the 2025 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
A windy day on Bempton Cliffs during the nesting season.
Credit: Alison Tuck / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025
Every year the awards celebrate the hilarious twists and turns of the animal kingdom and this year is no exception. From silly birds to flying squirrels, open-mouthed fish and talkative leopards, you’ll laugh at every frame. The winners will be announced on December 9.
![The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2025 Andrew Mortimer Melbourne Australia Title: If I saw further... Description: If I saw further, it was by standing on the shoulders of giants [frog] s. In a borehole on a mining land about 2 hours drive from Leonora, there lives a colony of frogs. Slightly too short to see over the PVC casing, they get by wherever they can. Animal: Frog Location of shooting: Leonora](https://www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Andrew-Mortimer_The-Shoulders-of-Giants.jpg?strip=all&quality=85)
In a borehole on mining land about two hours’ drive from Leonora, there lives a colony of frogs. Slightly too short to see over the PVC casing, they get by wherever they can.
Credit: Andrew Mortimer / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025
Instructor Lemur displays perfect enthusiasm, reaching to the heights to embrace the universe. Student Lemur wonders if enlightenment is worth so much effort before breakfast. Flexibility? Optional. A dramatic flair? Mandatory.
Credit: Andrey Giljov / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025
This photo was taken in Japan where I was observing a white-tailed eagle putting its fish in a hole and protecting it. He had a fish and saw another eagle arrive to try to steal it.
Credit: Annette Kirby / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025
A porcupine fish that has a mouthful of algae and seems to have trouble closing its mouth. So he has this eternal shocked look, and his dental hygiene probably bothers me more than him!
Credit: Bingqian Gao/ Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025
Meet the frog prince of my little garden – he lazes around guarding my vineyard, waiting for a kiss, but I think he’s just there for the grapes. This charming amphibian seems to have taken the vineyard for its royal court, lounging among the plump fruits as if it were the monarch of the orchard.
Credit: Beate Ammer / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 Beate Ammer
Rest day in Iceland after a 5-week scientific field session in Greenland. A white-tailed eagle harassed by a gull!
Credit: Antoine Rezer / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 Antoine RĂ©zer
This hornbill was startled by the incoming tawny eagle and decided a quick exit was probably wise. Its ungraceful departure was captured in a sequence of shots but this one perfectly captured the hornbill’s panic at that moment. The hornbill escaped safely, although I doubt the tawny eagle would be seriously interested in going after this hornbill’s beak anyway.
Credit: Geoff Martin / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025
This yellow-cheeked Gibbon was hanging out in the trees. He looks like he’s waiting for a beer to be poured.
Credit: Diana Rebman / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 Diane Rebman
They are two siblings, the smaller being the female leopard. They were playing with each other and for a moment the male just put his arm on her shoulder and looked like he was talking bad about another leopard.
Credit: Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 HLPVINOD
During heavy rain, the male shakes his mane several times, annoying his partner.
Credit: Massimo FELICI / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 Massimo FĂ©lici
Two restrained Guillemots having a domestic dispute. The island of Hornøya is always a hectic mix of chaos and noise, with seabirds competing for space and nesting sites. Sometimes you just want to bite your neighbors’ heads off – literally!
Credit: Warren Price / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025
This flying squirrel seems to have thrown in the towel: arms outstretched, total abandon!
Credit: Stefan Cruysberghs / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 Stefan Cruysberghs
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