Naturally funny: Wildlife photographs offer light-hearted approach to conservation
Each year, photographers submit their more hilarious wildlife snapshots to the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. Here are some of the 2019 winners.
Who, me?
This emotive Alaskan otter not only won photographer Harry Walker the Affinity Photo People's Choice Award and the Olympus Creatures Under the Water Award, it also graced the cover of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Award's annual book. The competition uses humor to highlight wildlife conservation in a positive way.
In the line of fire
It's a dangerous world out there. This photo by Tilakraj Nagaraj shows an unfortunate egret on the wrong end of a rhino. While you might feel sympathy for the egret, rhino species in Africa and Asia face threats like poachers and habitat loss, but conservation efforts have helped some like the southern white rhino come back from the brink.
Just chillin'
In Gombe Stream National Park, a little ten month old chimp named Gombe enjoys a relaxing moment leaning against his mother. While Gombe looks pretty carefree, chimpanzees face the dangers of habitat destruction, the illegal bush meat trade and being sold as exotic pets.
What's your problem, buddy?
Chest-bumping bros or interspecies foes? With 4,000 entries from photographers in 68 different countries, competition was fierce for this year's Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. This contentious exchange earned Thomas Mangelsen recognition as one of eleven Highly Commended Winners.
Self reflection
A bathing snow monkey gives a pensive look in this photograph by Txema Garcia Laseca titled "To be or not to be?" Perhaps he was just pondering how he didn't want to leave his warm thermal bath for the freezing temperatures outside.
No need to shout, dear
This photo — titled "Family Disagreement" — won Vlado Pirsa the Spectrum Photo Creatures of the Air Award for his portrait of these colorful Croatian birds. We can probably all relate to this pair of bee-eaters. The question is, which one are you?
Seeing the upside
These two vixens were "having a scrap" when photographer Alastair Marsh captured this scene. Red foxes are the largest type of fox and they are highly adaptable creatures, part of the reason humans perceive them to be so cunning.
Literally grabbing life by the ...
Sarah Skinner's "Grab life by the ...!" took the top prize for the 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. “I am happy to report that this lioness continues to thrive in the pride," reported Skinner. "I can only hope and encourage everyone, as a collective to each do our part in the conservation of all wildlife species, so that future generations can enjoy them."