Kranitz Roland, “O sole mio” (2020), Hungary (all images courtesy of  the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020)

“It’s the circle of life and it moves us all,” the eternal lyrics of Lion King‘s opening song tell us. But if you look at the finalists of the 2020 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, you’ll be reminded that the animal kingdom also has a humorous side.

The annual contest, founded by photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, celebrates wildlife with lighthearted images that capture animals in hilarious poses. The contest is supported by the wildlife conservation nonprofit the Born Free Foundation in the United Kingdom.

This year’s 44 finalists, who come from all corners of the earth, captured photos of a giraffe photobombing a friend posing for the camera, a fox negotiating with a mouse, a seemingly hungover penguin vomiting on the beach, two lions gossiping, and more.

You still have a chance to vote for the People’s Choice Award here. Check out the selection of images that made us laugh the most (and pay attention to the amusing titles).

Asaf Sereth, “Surprise Smiles” (2020), Lake Bogoria, Kenya 
Yarin Klein, “We All Have That Friend” (2020), Kuril Lake, Kamchatka, Russia
Ayala Fishaimer, “Tough Negotiations” (2020), Israel
Bernhard Esterer, “Spreading the Wildlife Gossip” (2020), Kalahari Desert
Brigitte Alcalay-Marcon, “Crashing into the picture” (2020), Etosha National Park, Namibia
Esa Ringbom, “Doggo” (2020), Kuhmo, East Finland
Jagdeep Rajput, “You see me…you see me not” (2020), Ranthambhor National Park, India
Martin Grace, “Chacma Baboon (Papio cynocephalus ursinus)” (2020), River Chobe, Botswana
Luis Burgueño, ” I had to stay late at work” (2020), Isla Escondida, Chubut, Patagonia, Argentina
Poulard Jacques, ” lamentation!” (2020), Spitsbergen, Norway
Christina Holfelder, “I could puke” (2020), Falkland Islands
Petr Sochman, “Social distance, please!” (2020), Kaudulla national park, Sri Lanka
Sally Lloyd-Jones “It’s A Mocking Bird!” (2020), near Kirkcudbright, Scotland
Ken Crossan., “Having a Laugh” (2020), Caithness, Scotland

Hakim Bishara is a Senior Editor at Hyperallergic. He is also a co-director at Soloway Gallery, an artist-run space in Brooklyn. Bishara is a recipient of the 2019 Andy Warhol Foundation and Creative Capital...

3 replies on “The Cheekiest Animal Photos From the 2020 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards”

  3. Sincerely? They are all great, but O sole Mio (Or I pray for my God), Tough Negotiations, Spreading the Wildlife Gossip, You see me … You see me Not, Social Distance, Please, (Very Current), and It’s a Mocking Bird are excellent. Of these six, one of them must take the Gold Medal. Hehehe…

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