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By human standard, of course, animals can be unintentionally and surprisingly clumsy, delightfully awkward or laughingly foolish. All it takes is a photographer or videographer at the right place at the right time to capture funny wild animal videos or photos of those unforgettable moments in nature.
Drawing from that endless source of comic inspiration, the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards celebrates the world's funniest wildlife photos and videos each year while also promoting awareness about wildlife conservation and environmental protection.
More than just a source of laughter, the competition delivers an important message about protecting the natural world: "The humor of these videos and photographs is both entertaining and a means to engage people with the threats facing these same animals,"
The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards is free to enter and open to both professional and amateur photographers and videographers using any camera brand.
"Our world is extraordinarily beautiful and interconnected, yet the human race is doing its best to over-exploit and damage it," explains Comedy Wildlife co-founder Paul Joynson-Hicks. "Issues of wildlife conservation and sustainability are gaining momentum globally, yet the messages and images tend to be negative and depressing."
Sponsored by Nikon, the competition has unveiled a selection of its Video Category, featuring some of the funniest wildlife videos captured around the globe.
Participants may submit up to two video clips, each no longer than 15 seconds. The Video Category winner receives a Nikon camera and photography kit.
The deadline for entries to the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards is June 30.
You Are What You Eat, by Colleen Piggot, filmed in Lindsay, Ontario, Canada
"Chico is a wild chipmunk that I have befriended," Colleen Piggot explains. "Chico visits my backyard daily for treats. I set up mini-photo-shoots in my backyard for Chico and in return Chico gets treats.
"Chico is a part-time wild chipmunk model that works for peanuts. In this video, Chico is trying her best to get a shelled peanut in her mouth to take back to her burrow.
Surfing Heron by Tatjana Epp, Kruger National Park, South Africa
"At first we spotted the heron and didn't notice that it was actually standing on the back of a hippo - a perfect shelter for him, because there were so many crocodiles around," Tatjana Epp says. "Actually, a really smart move. When the hippo started moving , the heron looked a bit irritated. He almost lost his balance.
"But the way he got his balance back fast and how he really seemed to enjoy the ride was a once in a lifetime scene to witness.
"The video ends with the hippo turning its head around. It wanted to get rid of the heron. But it stayed there and the hippo gave up in the end. When we left the place, the heron was still relaxing on the back."
Too Cold by Lily Bernau, Antartica
An Adelie penguin in Antarctica avoiding a swim with his mates in the cold winter water.
Hugging a Best Friend by Rahul Lakhmani, New Delhi
An amazing moment when one kingfisher just hurried and banged another one, looking like friends giving and getting a too-enthusiastic hug.
The scene took a second and its thanks to slow motion that Rahul Lakhmani was able to capture the moment, which would be impossible to see with a naked eye.
Gorilla Baby Falling Over by Andy Rouse, Rowanda
"I was on my sixtieth Mountain Gorilla trek when we found this lovely mother and baby," says Andy Rouse. "At one point the baby fell over back near the mother's arms. Clearly she had seen it happen before as she ignored it all."
Catting Around by Rob Ankner, Massai Mara, Kenia
The encounter of these lions, probably siblings, showcases the deep social structures that exist within lion prides.
Fox With The Zoomies by Kevin Lohman, San Jose, California
A Red Fox on a cold morning couldn't get enough fun rolling around on frosty grass.
"I had been watching the fox walking slowly across the grass when it suddenly got the zoomies like my dog does after its bath," Kevin Lohman explains. "It started rolling around on the ice-covered grass, then sliding, then shaking it off like nothing happened."
Red Fox Having Fun by Heather Ferreira Cole, London
"This fox was photographed in our London back garden at Christmas," says Heather Ferreira. "We couldn't believe it when the fox seemed to be bouncing for fun. It was magical."
All funny wild animals videos from the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards Nikon Video Category can be viewed online here.
