Shy birds and quarrelsome bears...the most prominent images nominated for the Wildlife Comedy Award

- Some of the funniest and strangest animal photos and videos of 2026 have been unveiled. You may be amazed by the image of an elephant covering one of its eyes with its trunk, as if participating in a game of hide and seek, or you may smile when you see two birds covering themselves with their wings as if they are exchanging a secret kiss out of sight.

You might also laugh at the sight of two bears joking together, or marvel at the sight of a praying mantis posing on a green leaf. All these scenes were captured in innovative images that were finalists in the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Contest.

A short and cheerful list of 47 photos and nine video clips was chosen from more than 10,000 entries from 112 countries. This number represents the largest number of entries in the competition's 11-year history, according to organizers.

Launched in 2015, this hilarious competition aims to use humor to promote wildlife conservation efforts. Contest co-founder Tom Sollam said in a statement: “The exotic wildlife photography competition began quietly, somewhere in the vast plains of the Serengeti.

What started as a small initiative to spread awareness about wildlife conservation has turned into something much bigger than we ever imagined.” He added: “The competition has become truly global, and nearly a decade later, we want to make it bigger, funnier and broader than ever before.

“We use humor to encourage compassion for wildlife, and it is this compassion that creates behavioral change for the better.” If you would like to see all the funny and charming photos and videos shortlisted, and choose your favorite, voting is now open for the STERNA People’s Choice Award.

The winners, who will be selected by a specialized jury, will be announced during the awards ceremony in London on December 8, and the finalists' works will also be on display until December 13. The images above show a selection of the shortlisted works.