The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards unveiled its 2026 finalists, a 40-image shortlist that includes a caiman wearing a wig, a leopard doing a handstand, Tanner Mansell’s “Spicy Orangutan” shot in Borneo, and a damselfly photographed by Lee Frost that appears to wave through a nibbled leaf. The competition received a record more than 10,000 entries from photographers in 112 countries, its largest field to date. Awards co-founder Tom Sullam said the project began to raise wildlife-conservation awareness and now uses humour to build empathy that can drive behavioural change. Nikon will announce the competition winners on December 8; the contest site is hosting the finalists’ portfolios, videos, and youth submissions. Visitors can also cast a vote for the Sterna People’s Choice Award alongside the judges’ selections. The finalists were published in galleries and press roundups highlighting the competition’s playful, candid images from habitats around the world.
