PICTURES: Finalists of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards announced

The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards have revealed the shortlist of entries from this year’s competition. The competition received a record number of brilliant and hilarious entries, with just under 9 000 in total from 98 countries, all competing to win the top prize. Here we bring you a selection of the finalists. Here we bring you a selection of the best images. This Southern Elephant Seal was captured by Gabriel Rojo at Peninsula Valdes, Chubut Province, Argentina. ‘These multi-ton giants fight to keep their harem of females. In this photo, the animal seems to be smiling... but the reality is that its expression of astonishment fled quickly, because the dominant male was on his way to a bloody fight.’ Picture: Gabriel Rojo Photographer Sarosh Lodhi says: ‘Shot in Kenya, these two started coming towards each other. I was expecting them to nozzle or fight, but they coincidentally got aligned to cause this optical illusion.’ Picture: Sarosh Lodhi Photographer Jose Miguel Gallego Molina captured this image of the ‘Mantis Flamenca’ in Onda, Spain. ‘On my way back from my walk I saw my friend the Flemish Mantis for the first time. You can imagine the faces of the cars passing by, seeing a madman lying on the ground with his camera in his hand.’ Picture: Jose Miguel Gallego Molina Photographer Philippe Ricordel captured this image in Arctic Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. ‘Hajime! This is the term used by a referee in judo to invite opponents to start fighting. Here, the standing bear seems to be saying this to the other two, adopting the gesture that referees use when they say this word.’ Picture: Philippe Ricordel Randy Herman caught this moment on camera in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, USA. 'This female Red-bellied Woodpecker had been investigating this Screech Owl nest for a couple of days; perhaps it was her nest last year? This little owlet was definitely startled, and didn't seem to know what to make of this intruder.' Picture: Randy Herman Ralph Robinson captured this photograph at Pebble Island, Falkland Islands. ‘These rockhoppers are moving into town, and this town ain’t big enough for all of them! I set up my camera a good distance from this ridge, where rockhopper penguins were returning from feeding,’ says the photographer. Picture: Ralph Robinson Photographer Arvind Mohandas captured this chimpanzee in the jungles of Uganda. ‘While following a group of around 50 chimpanzees, this one was obviously contemplating an important issue, on a day of realisation and reaffirmation of how close chimpanzees are to humans,’ jests the photographer. Picture: Arvind Mohandas Artur Stankiewicz explains how this photograph was captured in Zimbabwe. ‘We had stopped by the pool with hippos while in Mana Pools NP. My idea was to catch fighting hippos, yet, they all were quite peaceful. I positioned myself on the bank and waited. Some of them raised their heads in curiosity. It looked like the guy just came from the hairdresser.’ Picture: Artur Stankiewicz ‘I took this photo of a dancing sifaka in Madagascar; as it ran towards us, it created all sorts of funny shapes. But this one was the best. It looks to me like it is practising its bowling action ready for an England call-up,’ says photographer Andy Rouse. Picture: Andy Rouse Alexander Fine captured this photograph in Lake Clark National Park in Alaska. ‘After a nap, the mother brown bear wanted to go for a walk, but the cubs wanted a ride.’ Picture: Alexander Fine Tapani Linnanmaki caught this moment in Kustavi, Finland. 'In the picture, a white-tailed eagle is ruffling its feathers. The picture was taken with the Nikon Z9's autocapture feature. The camera is placed on top of the sea ice on top of a bag of nuts at the level of the ice. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this picture. There were more than ten funny poses and expressions in the photo series.' Picture: Tapani Linnanmaki PICTURES: Religious worship at the Braamfontein Spruit

PICTURES: Finalists of the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards announced

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