The Animal Kingdom's Funny Side

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards were founded in 2015 by Paul Joynson-Hicks on the slopes of Mount Meru in northern Tanzania. The idea came to him after seeing two hilarious photos of “an eagle looking at me through its back legs and a warthog’s bottom.” The goal was for the humor of the photographs to raise awareness about the animals in them and the threats facing them. Today, they accept thousands of photos from across the globe, along with gaining media coverage in all corners of the world. For this year’s awards, photos were submitted from Antarctica to the Amazon, each with its own unique spin. Despite the thousands of submissions, there are five that stand out as my personal favorites, truly encapsulating nature's wonders through humor. 

#5 - "Air Guitar Roo"

In fifth place is this kangaroo playing the air guitar in a lovely field of flowers.This photo won the award this year for good reason. It perfectly showcases the funny side of nature, as an action we usually associate with humans is being recreated by an animal hilariously and unexpectedly. 

#4 - "Everyone Can Fly"

This seal clearly had a bit too much tuna on Thanksgiving, waddling its way over the sand. This is what I feel like on a typical Monday morning, struggling to move because of the lack of energy. The photo is a great example of how the natural movements of animals can be hilarious when captured at the right moment. 

#3 - "Teddy Buddies"

If this photo were taken in Seattle, the sound of the dap up was probably heard all the way to Miami, it was that perfect. These two bears obviously know the best way to chill, as seen by this powerful handshake and the water behind them. I like this photo because it reminds me of my daily interactions with my best buds. 

#2 - "Doing The Tango"

I imagine that these horses have beef, one hundred percent. I’m not sure if one of them took the other’s grass or sneezed in the wrong direction, but either way, they are not happy with each other. I’d like to know who won the fight, but overall this photo, along with the stunning background, shows the beauty and reality of nature. 

#1 - "Scream"

This is my favorite photo by far. The lemur looks like he just saw the rising prices of gas! The shock on his face can only be expressed as complete madness. The way that his eyes pop out of his skull towards whatever he’s seen makes this photo hilarious whilst also showing how similar animals can be to us. 

Each of these photos shows how brilliant nature can be. Between the humor and beauty of each image, it’s clear to see why this award gains so much coverage as one of the best nature photography awards in the world.

Due to copyright over the images, The Elliott is unable to include the award photos but please check out the website for these hilarious photos, to understand the organization better, or even to submit your own photos.

By Luke Birch