Smiles, surprises and sticky situations. Hilarious images from the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

By Jack Guy, CNN

(CNN) — A smiling elephant seal, a stuck squirrel and a contemplative chimpanzee are among the images shortlisted for this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

There are 40 images, four portfolio entries and three video entries that made the shortlist for this year’s competition, according to a statement from organizers on Thursday.

Other entries – a selection of which can be viewed in the gallery above – include a crash-landed tern, an awkward owlet and lazy bear cubs clinging to their mother for a ride.

“These images capture not only the humour and charm of wildlife, but also highlight the importance of conservation in a way that resonates with people of all ages and from all different walks of life,” said Stefan Maier, Nikon Europe senior general manager of marketing, in the statement.

“At Nikon, we are immensely proud to be part of a competition that brings both joy and awareness to the wonder of our natural world.”

There were nearly 9,000 entries from 98 countries, which will be analyzed by a team of judges.

There is also a People’s Choice Award that is open to a public vote on the competition website.

Each year, the competition supports a sustainable conservation organization and the Whitley Fund for Nature has been selected for 2024. The UK-based charity supports conservation leaders from around the global south.

Awards co-founder Tom Sullam said it had been an “incredible year” for the competition.

“It’s a privilege to be part of this exciting journey, making us all laugh and raising our awareness of animal conservation,” Sullam said.

The overall, category and highly commended winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on December 10.

All of the finalists will form part of an exhibition at theGallery@Oxo in London from December 10-16.

The-CNN-Wire
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