The Comedy Wildlife Photography awards - in pictures

A selection from the shortlist of 40, with images from around the world including a forgetful meerkat, a waving hare and a frog with a smile

Michael Williams

Main image: A Russian frog smiles for the camera. Photograph: Artyom Krivosheev/Barcroft Images

  • Andy Howard spent more than five hours with this mountain hare, which appears to raise its paw to say hello in the Cairngorms, Scotland.
    Photographer Andy Howard spent over 5 hours with this mountain hare which appears to raise its paw to say hello in Cairngorms, Scotland.

  • Charles Kinsey captures a pair of ‘headless penguins’ as they stretch to preen themselves simultaneously in South Georgia.
    Photographer Charles Kinsey captures a pair of ‘headless penguins’ as they stretch to preen themselves simultaneously in south Georgia.

  • A meerkat appears to look as if it has just remembered it needs to be somewhere, in Brigitta Moser’s photo from Little Karoo, South Africa.
    A meerkat appears to look like it’s just remembered it needs to be somewhere, in Brigitta Moser’s photo from Little Karoo, South Africa.

  • The jungle babbler is a member of the Leiothrichidae family found in the Indian subcontinent. They are gregarious birds that forage in small groups of six to 10, a habit that has given them the popular name of seven sisters or Saath bhai in Bengali. The picture was taken in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.
    The jungle babbler is a member of the Leiothrichidae family found in the Indian subcontinent. They are gregarious birds that forage in small groups of six to ten, a habit that has given them the popular name of Seven Sisters or Saath bhai in Bengali. Taken in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

  • An unfortunate portrait of a buffalo in Meru national park, Kenya.
    An unfortunate portrait of a Buffalo in Meru National Park, Kenya.

  • Two weaver ants, otherwise known as fire ants, dancing together in Bata, Indonesia.
    Two weaver ants otherwise known as fire ants dancing together in Bata, Indonesia.

  • Two rhinos organise themselves back to back in defence formation in Laikipia, Kenya.
    Two rhinos organise themselves back-to-back in defence formation in Laikipia, Kenya.

  • A snowy owl looks very content as it smiles for Edward Kopeschny in Ontario, Canada.
    A snowy owl looks very content as it smiles for photographer Edward Kopeschny, Ontario, Canada.

  • Bighorn rams exhibiting attitudes during the rut in Montana, USA.
    Bighorn Rams exhibiting attitudes during the rut in Gardiner, Montana.

  • A colourful reptile holds up a twig as it is pictured looking like a warrior with a powerful stance.
    A colourful reptile holds up a twig as it is pictured looking like a warrior with a powerful stance.

  • A little leopard tortoise jumps on a friend’s back in Tarangire national park, Tanzania.
    A little leopard tortoise jumps on a friend’s back in Tarangire National park, Tanzania.

  • A frog appears to have a big smile for the camera in Russia.
    A frog appears to have a big smile for the camera in Russia.
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