The 2024 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has concluded, with a remarkable image of a squirrel in an unusual predicament taking the top prize. The winning photograph, submitted by an amateur photographer who wishes to remain anonymous, shows a squirrel with its head seemingly lodged within a tree hollow. The image, taken in a park in the UK during early spring, has resonated with audiences worldwide, capturing a sense of humor often overlooked in nature photography.
The competition, now in its ninth year, serves as a unique platform to highlight both the beauty and the amusing quirks of the animal kingdom. It attracts entries from both seasoned professionals and amateur photographers alike, each hoping to share their most comical encounters with wildlife. The judges, consisting of wildlife photographers, conservationists, and other experts, carefully reviewed thousands of submissions before arriving at the final selection of winners. This year’s winner was chosen not just for its comedic value, but also for its composition, clarity, and overall visual impact.
The winning photograph depicts a squirrel with its lower body and tail visible above the tree hollow, suggesting it had likely climbed in headfirst and then struggled to turn around or extract itself. The image was captured using a standard DSLR camera with a zoom lens, allowing the photographer to maintain a respectful distance from the animal while achieving a sharp, detailed image. The lighting was described as soft and diffused, enhancing the natural colors of the squirrel’s fur and the tree bark. The photo is not doctored and reflects a real encounter with the wildlife.
The photographer, who had initially set out to capture images of birds, stumbled upon this humorous scene while walking through a local park. They describe the moment as being both surprising and comical, and they instinctively captured the image without any intention of entering it into any competition. It was only later, when looking back at the photo, that they decided to submit it to the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
The awards aim to raise awareness about wildlife conservation in an engaging and positive way. The organizers firmly believe that humor can be a powerful tool for education and advocacy. Alongside the top prize, the competition also acknowledges a variety of other winning images, featuring a range of wildlife species from across the globe. These photos include penguins seemingly engaged in conversation, bears caught in awkward poses, and birds exhibiting humorous expressions. Each photo, whether a winner or not, tells a unique story about the world’s wildlife. The competition does not allow images of pets or domestic animals to be entered. The judging process is based upon three main categories: Technical excellence, humor, and relevance to the conservation message the awards aim to highlight. The award ceremony was held digitally and streamed globally.
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards was founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam. Their stated goal was to create a competition that celebrates the lighter side of wildlife while at the same time promoting conservation. Both founders had extensive experience in wildlife photography and conservation, and they believed that combining the two concepts was a powerful way to engage audiences. Over the years the awards have gained significant international recognition and the competition is now considered one of the leading platforms for humorous wildlife images.
The annual awards are supported by a number of conservation organizations and sponsors, all contributing to the underlying objective of promoting a better understanding of the importance of protecting wildlife. The competition also raises funds for these charities through print sales and merchandise. Past winners have been featured in numerous publications and exhibitions, both online and in print, thereby increasing the reach of the competition’s conservation message. The competition is not only for professionals, but amateur photographers are encouraged to take part each year, resulting in a large variety of entries from all different backgrounds.
The impact of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards on wildlife conservation is difficult to quantify, but it undoubtedly plays a role in raising public awareness and sparking conversation about the importance of protecting animals. The success of the competition over the last nine years speaks to the power of humor and imagery in connecting people with nature and the natural world. The images also promote the idea of responsible wildlife photography, encouraging enthusiasts to observe animals from a distance, and not to interfere with them in any way.
The competition’s rules dictate that any images submitted must be a true capture of nature without any digital manipulation or editing that would add to the humor or make the scene seem more comical. The judges are instructed to remove any entry which might appear to have been altered or edited, to guarantee that all winning entries are a true record of an authentic interaction with nature. The competition rules also state that the photographers should not have put an animal in an unnatural or dangerous situation in order to capture a comical image. The awards encourage ethical wildlife photography, always putting the animal’s welfare at the forefront of the photographer’s objectives.
This year’s winning photograph of the squirrel is a prime example of a real-life, unscripted encounter with nature that captures a humorous moment without any harm or interference with the animal. The photographer’s ability to see the humor in the situation, and to capture it using photographic skill, has resulted in an award-winning photograph and a significant opportunity to highlight the importance of wildlife conservation. The image has quickly spread across the internet, and has been featured on many news outlets and blogs across the globe.
The competition is also not limited to photographers from one geographical area. Entries are welcome from all over the world, resulting in a wide array of different species being featured. The geographical diversity of the competition is also a key factor in the awards, allowing audiences to get familiar with animals they might not otherwise see. The different ecosystems across the planet also give photographers a vast range of backdrops and scenes with which to create their photographs.
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards will open for entries again in the coming months for next year’s competition. Wildlife enthusiasts are encouraged to share their encounters with nature and contribute to the message of conservation by submitting their best shots. The overall message being that it is more important to learn to respect and observe nature rather than interfere, and that the animals’ welfare should always be the most important consideration for the photographer. The awards will be broadcast again digitally at the end of next year to showcase the winning photographs and to celebrate the natural world. This year’s winning photograph of the squirrel, with its head seemingly lodged in a tree, is an enduring reminder of nature’s amusing unpredictability and it is sure to remain in the public consciousness for a long time to come.
The impact of digital media on the success of the awards has been significant. The immediacy and reach of the internet allow the awards to be showcased to a huge global audience. This increased visibility has allowed the competition to gain a higher public profile and has also allowed the conservation messages to reach a wider audience. The impact of sharing the images and stories digitally has allowed people who might not otherwise have access to nature to see the diversity and beauty of the world’s wildlife.
The winners of the 2024 awards have all been acknowledged for their creativity, photographic skills, and, most importantly, their contribution to highlighting the importance of wildlife conservation. The competition stands as an important reminder of the beauty and fragility of nature and the importance of respecting the wildlife that share our planet.
