Entertainment

Baboon and raccoon snaps among Comedy Wildlife Photography Award finalists

The competition aims to show off ‘seriously funny images of the earth’s most amazing wildlife’.
The competition aims to show off ‘seriously funny images of the earth’s most amazing wildlife’. The competition aims to show off ‘seriously funny images of the earth’s most amazing wildlife’.

A faceplanting elephant, a smiley fish and a raccoon in difficulty are among the animals featured in the final of this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

A poorly penguin and an uninhibited baboon are also among the 44 images shortlisted in the competition, a global contest that aims to showcase “seriously funny images of the earth’s most amazing wildlife”.

Faceplant by Tim Hearn shows the moment a young elephant tripped as they tried to catch up with their mum (Tim Hearn/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)
Faceplant by Tim Hearn shows the moment a young elephant tripped as they tried to catch up with their mum (Tim Hearn/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020) Faceplant by Tim Hearn shows the moment a young elephant tripped as they tried to catch up with their mum (Tim Hearn/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)

The competition, which is free to enter, was founded by photographers and conservationists Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, and is run in partnership with the Born Free Foundation.

Among the eye-catching entries are a raccoon seemingly stuck in a hole in a tree, taken by Charlie Davidson, a colourful parrotfish which appears to have a big grin on its face, as shot by Arthur Telle Thiemenn, and Tim Hearn’s image of a faceplanting elephant.

A happy looking parrotfish in Smiley, by Arthur Telle Thiemenn (Arthur Telle Thiemann/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)
A happy looking parrotfish in Smiley, by Arthur Telle Thiemenn (Arthur Telle Thiemann/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020) A happy looking parrotfish in Smiley, by Arthur Telle Thiemenn (Arthur Telle Thiemann/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)
A penguin throws up in I Could Almost Puke by (Christina Holfelder/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)
A penguin throws up in I Could Almost Puke by (Christina Holfelder/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020) A penguin throws up in I Could Almost Puke by (Christina Holfelder/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)

The winner will be decided by a panel of judges including TV presenter Kate Humble and comedian Hugh Dennis.

There is also a people’s choice award, on which members of the public can vote via the competition’s website.

A South Sea elephant makes a face in I Had To Stay Late At Work (Luis Burgueño/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)
A South Sea elephant makes a face in I Had To Stay Late At Work (Luis Burgueño/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020) A South Sea elephant makes a face in I Had To Stay Late At Work (Luis Burgueno/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)
Martin Grace's Socially Uninhibited shows a baboon having a good old scratch (Martin Grace/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)
Martin Grace's Socially Uninhibited shows a baboon having a good old scratch (Martin Grace/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020) Martin Grace’s Socially Uninhibited shows a baboon having a good old scratch (Martin Grace/The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)

The winners will be announced on October 22, with the top photographer claiming a trophy and a week’s safari in Tanzania.