The funniest nature photos of the year presented in a global competition: see the finalists

Time for a round of laughs with the finalists for the Comedy Wildlife Awards 2024.

The shortlist, announced Wednesday, is “an amazing collection of amazing, stunning and hilarious photos of some of the most incredible wildlife we ​​share this planet with,” officials said in a statement. The shortlist of images and videos from the 2024 edition includes a cheetah playing hide-and-seek behind a tree, bears hugging it, a fish chasing an eagle through the sky and a tiny flying squirrel “playing boss like a mafia boss!”

The free contest is open to all nature photography beginners, amateurs and professionals and celebrates the hilarity of our natural world.

“This shortlist of entries features some of the most spectacular photographs ever submitted, capturing the funniest moments of wildlife on camera,” the competition said in a statement.

This year’s final shortlist, consisting of 40 individual photographs, three videos and four portfolio entries, was chosen from thousands of entries from 98 countries.

How do you vote in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards?

The public can get involved by voting for their favourite image in the Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award by visiting the competition website and clicking on the people’s choice link. Voters have until 31 October to make their choice and be in with a chance of winning £500 (around $666).

The winners of the competition will be announced at an Awards Night in London on 10 December, with the best photograph winning a week-long safari in the Masai Mara, Kenya. The awards ceremony will be followed by a week-long exhibition from 10-16 December, showcasing all the 2024 Award finalists at Gallery@Oxo in London.

Check out hilarious animal photos from the 2024 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Funniest Animal Photos Revealed at Comedy Wildlife Awards: See Photos