Animals Get Silly

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards recognize the images that show wild animals in their silliest moments.

Jason Moore of Australia won the top prize for his photo of a kangaroo that looks like it’s playing air guitar.

Have you ever done something funny without even trying? Wild animals do that sometimes, too! The annual Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards capture the hilarious things critters do when they think no one’s looking. This year’s winning snapshot shows a kangaroo that looks like it’s playing air guitar. But the kooky kangaroo didn’t take home the only prize.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards are open to anyone, whether they are a professional photographer or just take photos for fun. The key is to capture an image of wildlife at its wackiest. Winners are chosen in six categories: Creatures of the Land (land animals), Creatures in the Air (flying animals), Underwater, Junior (for photographers who are 18 and younger), Internet Portfolio (for a group of four photos), and Video Clip (for a video of a funny animal). Judges also choose an overall winner, and the public gets to vote on a People’s Choice Award

The winning video, called Too Cold, was taken by Lily Bernau in Antarctica.

In 2023, 1,842 people from 85 countries sent in thousands of images, but only a few of them won awards. The picture of the arm-swinging kangaroo, called Air Guitar Roo, and its photographer, Jason Moore of Australia, won the Overall category and the Creatures of the Land category.

The public had a different favorite. The People’s Choice was an image called Dispute, which shows two greenfinches (a type of small bird) that look like they’re arguing. Dispute and its photographer, Jacek Stankiewicz of Poland, also won in the Junior category.

Click through the slideshow for a look at the bickering birds and much more!

An otter stands on one hind leg with the other extended behind. — This photo, called *Otter Ballerina*, won the Creatures Under the Sea category. It was taken by Otter Kwek of Singapore.

A heron has its head in the water as the rest of its body protrudes upside down. — A photo called *Unexpected Plunge* was the Creatures in the Air winner. It was taken by Vittorio Ricci of Italy.

Two small birds are perched on a branch. One of them has opened its beak and extends its wing to its side. — *Greenfinch Dispute* shows two birds that look like they’re arguing. It was the People’s Choice.

A puffin face down in a body of water, seen from below the surface. — British photographer Brian Matthews took this photo, called *Don’t Look Down*. It shows a puffin looking at jellyfish under the water.

A small kangaroo that is behind larger kangaroo holds its arms up and looks at the camera. — Lara Mathews of Australia took this photo, titled *Boing!*

A large fly sits on the beak of a turtle that sits in shallow water. — This photo, called *The Happy Turtle*, was taken by Tzahi Finkelstein of Israel. It shows a turtle with an unexpected visitor.

A series of four photos shows a squirrel jumping in the air and landing on its back. — The winner in the Internet Portfolio category was taken by Austrian photographer Timea Ambrus. It’s called *I Finally Learned to Fly.*

© Otter Kwek/Comedy Wildlife 2023; © Vittorio Ricci/Comedy Wildlife 2023; © Jacek Stankiewicz/Comedy Wildlife 2023; © Brian Matthews/Comedy Wildlife 2023; © Lara Mathews/Comedy Wildlife 2023; © Tzahi Finkelstein/Comedy Wildlife 2023; © Timea Ambrus/Comedy Wildlife 2023

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