A leopard seemingly doing a handstand. A flirtatious-looking praying mantis. A polar bear that appears to be deep in conversation with a seagull.
Those are just some of the wildlife moments that landed on the shortlist for the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards, whose organizers unveiled 40 finalists on Oct. 1, from a record-breaking pool of more than 10,000 entries submitted from 112 countries.
Now in its 11th year, the competition celebrates humorous wildlife photography while raising awareness of conservation efforts around the world. In addition to 40 individual image finalists, organizers also selected nine video finalists, four portfolio finalists and three finalists in the junior category. Winners will be announced Dec. 8 during an awards
ceremony in London, with the public also invited to vote for a People's Choice winner through March 1.
"What began as a small effort to raise awareness of wildlife conservation has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined," co-founder Tom Sullam said in a statement.
Funny photos, serious mission
The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards were founded in 2015 by photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam. While the photos are designed to make people laugh, organizers say the competition's broader goal is to inspire support for wildlife conservation.
"The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards started very gently, somewhere out on the vast plains of the Serengeti," Sullam said.
More than a decade later, he said, the competition has become a truly global event.
"We use humor to get people to feel empathy towards wildlife, and it's that empathy that creates behavioral change for the better," Sullam said.
The competition supports a conservation organization each year. In 2026, it is partnering with the Born Free Foundation, an international charity focused on protecting wild animals and conserving threatened species and habitats.
See finalists for 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
What's next for the finalists?
Over the next several weeks, judges will review the shortlisted entries before selecting category winners, highly commended images and the overall winner.
The winners will be announced Dec. 8 during an awards ceremony in London. Finalists and winning images will also be displayed at a free exhibition, sponsored by Nikon, from Dec. 9-13 at Gallery@Oxo in London.
Besides the 40 individual finalists, the shortlist also includes nine video-category finalists, four standout portfolio finalists and three entries from photographers age 16 and younger.
How to vote for the People's Choice Award
Members of the public can vote for their favorite image in the People's Choice Award category, sponsored by Sterna, between Oct. 2 and March 1, 2027, through the competition's website.
One voter will also be selected at random to receive £500 (about $670).
What are the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards categories?
The competition is free to enter and open to amateur and professional wildlife photographers. Categories for 2026 include:
- Mammals
- Birds
- Reptiles and Amphibians
- Fish and Other Aquatic Species
- Insects
- Young Photographer (up to age 25)
- Junior Category (up to age 16)
- Portfolio
- Video
The overall winner will receive a one-week safari in Kenya's Masai Mara with Alex Walker's Serian, while other prizes include Nikon photography equipment andtravel gear from ThinkTANK.
This story has been updated with new information.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gangster walruses, exercising bear among funniest wildlife photos of 2026
