Some days, the planet feels like it’s stuck on hard mode. Then along come the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards finalists with a smoking duck, a choir of lions, and frog teamwork so good even your group chat will feel inadequate—and suddenly, the world softens around the edges. This year’s shortlist is out, and it’s a technicolour reminder that laughter and conservation make an unbeatable double act.

First, the basics—because the numbers themselves grin back at you. The 2025 competition drew just under 10,000 entries from 108 countries, whittled to 40 Standalone Images, 3 Portfolio Entries, and 10 Video Entries. Also important: these images are authentic—no AI, no digital wizardry, just real moments of wild charisma caught in the act.

And the vibe? Equal parts giggle and goosebump. This is the warm, ridiculous side of the animal kingdom: a dancing gorilla toe-tapping on our cynicism; a duck that looks like it’s auditioning for Film Noir; lions harmonizing like they’ve booked the savannah’s only karaoke bar. Funny, yes—but also quietly revolutionary. When we laugh with wildlife, we edge closer to caring for it. That’s the point.

Don’t just take my word for it. As Stefan Maier, Nikon Europe Senior General Manager Marketing, puts it: “The Nikon Comedy Wildlife finalists are in, and we’re excited to share with you the brilliant images showcasing unique talent of photographers from every corner of the globe. These images combine wit and wonder to celebrate nature’s character, while emphasising the urgency of conservation. At Nikon, we’re proud to support a competition that sparks joy while reminding us why our wild world is worth protecting.”

The categories span everything with feathers, fur, scales, and “other aquatic situations,” including Nikon’s junior and young photographer sections—because wonder is a skill best taught early. A roster of judges from photography, TV, comedy, and conservation will do the heroic work of choosing when “a pelican doing jazz hands” is objectively funnier than “a turtle regretting its life choices.” (That’s not a real caption; the pictures are real enough on their own.)

Here’s why this matters beyond a good chuckle:

• Humour lowers our guard. The second you laugh, you’re listening. And once you’re listening, statistics like habitat loss and species decline have somewhere to land.
• Joy builds stamina. Conservation is a marathon, not a meme. Moments of levity refill the tank so we can keep going.
• Images travel. A single frame—say, a frog piggyback relay—can leap across borders faster than a policy brief. 

In a world that often shouts, these finalists wink. They coax us closer—to the photograph, to the species, to the work still to do. And they remind us that protecting nature isn’t just noble; it’s fun. If the planet is going to keep spinning, it might as well do it with a grin.

The People’s Choice Award runs from 10 December through 1 March 2026, with the winner revealed 12 March 2026. Your vote = your voice for conservation (plus an excuse to spend quality time looking at a smug otter).

So go vote, go visit, go share the picture that makes your inner eight-year-old snicker. Because somewhere out there, a heron is surfing, an orangutan is living his best life, and a camera-toting human is ready to prove that laughter really is a conservation superpower.

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