Flying squirrel and laughing fish star in funniest wildlife photos

Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards also feature arguing penguins, a charming raccoon and a waddling duckling

'Jumping Jack'. Taken in Maashorst, the Netherlands. Alex Pansier / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Say cheeeese'. Taken in Faial, Azores. Arthur Telle Thiemann / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'What do you mean smile?! I am smiling!'. Taken in Olare Motorogi Conservancy, Kenya. Alison Buttigieg / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Your picnic's mine!' Taken in Etty Bay, Queensland, Australia. Lincoln Macgregor / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Stop and stare'. Taken in Sukau, Borneo. Andy Evans / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Tight fit!'. Taken in Largo, Florida. Mark Schocken / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Excuse me ... Pardon me!' Taken in Juanita Bay Park, Lake Washington, US. Ryan Sims / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Funny walk'. Taken in Zagreb, Croatia. Bojan Bencic / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Talk to the fin!'. Taken in Falkland Islands. Jennifer Hadley / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'The comedian'. Taken in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Ahmed Alahmed / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'The wink'. Taken in San Jose, California. Kevin Lohman / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Maniacs'. Taken in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Saverio Gatto / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'It's all kicking off!'. Taken in Cape Hillsborough, Queensland, Australia. Michael Eastwell / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Cute'. Taken in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Ahmed Alahmed / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Shark moose'. Taken in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, US. Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Keep calm and keep your head'. Taken in Volunteer Point, East Falklands. Martin Grace / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Misleading African viewpoints 2'. Taken in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Jean-Jacques Alcalay-Marcon / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Pegasus, the flying horse.' Taken in Keoladeo National Park, India. Jagdeep Rajput / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'What shall I write next?' Taken in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska, US. Torie Hilley / Comedy Wildlife

'Mum life'. Taken in Singapore. Sophie Hart / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Three-headed'. Taken in Kuril lake, Kamchatka, Russia. Paolo Mignosa / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Happy feet'. Taken in Antarctica. Thomas Vijayan / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'You can't see me, can you?'. Taken in Senoklass, Bulgaria. Lukas Zeman / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Curtain Call II'. Taken in Wisconsin, US. Dave Shaffer / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Rushing little owl fledgling'. Taken in Israel. Shuli Greenstein / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Can I borrow honey from you until tomorrow?' Taken in Martinselkonen, Finland. Valtteri Mulkahainen / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'I'm gonna strangle you!'. Taken in Kalahari Trails Game Reserve, South Africa. Emmanuel Do Linh San / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Hello everyone'. Taken in Florida. Miroslav Srb / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Not so cat-like reflexes'. Taken in Serengeti, Tanzania. Jennifer Hadley / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Uncomfortable pillow'. Taken in Snow Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Andrew Peacock / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Lisping squirrel'. Taken in Zhuque National Forest Park, Xi'an, China. Lee Zhengxing / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Do you have a moment to talk about our lord and saviour, T-Rex?' Taken in Minsmere, Suffolk, UK. Alex Cooper / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Monkey wellness center'. Taken in Cambodia. Federica Vinci / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'I jump instead of flying'. Taken in Hungary. Tímea Ambrus / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Fight back'. Taken in Alaska, US. John Chaney / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Buck-a-roo!' Taken in Amboseli, Kenya. Vince Burton / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'I CU boy!' Taken in Bikaner, India. Arshdeep Singh / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Tombstoning Guillemot'. Taken in Farne Islands, UK. Corinne Kozok / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Barf'. Taken in Marsa Shagra, Egypt. Paul Eijkemans / Comedy Wildlife 2022

'Romantic'. Taken in Martinselkonen, Finland. Valtteri Mulkahainen / Comedy Wildlife 2022

A flying squirrel, laughing fish and arguing penguins are among the incredible images shortlisted for the Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards.

Among the 40 stand-alone wildlife photographs and 10 portfolio entries, a charming raccoon waves to the camera and a flightless Australian southern cassowary steals fish and chips.

Voting has also opened for the Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Serif, offering the public the chance to vote for their favourite funny photo.

The awards were co-founded in 2015 by photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sulla, who wanted to create a competition that focused on the lighter side of wildlife photography and promoted wildlife conservation.

“With so much going on in the world, we could all use a bumper dose of fun and laughter and this year’s finalists have definitely delivered that,” Mr Sulla said.

“When you see these amazing photographs like the one of an elephant seal trying to use his neighbour’s head as pillow (and we’ve all been there) or a wallaby at sunset, seemingly about to launch another wallaby into space, it makes you smile and wonder at the incredible animals that are on this earth with us, and we love that about the competition.”

In other images, two triggerfish in the Azores look into the camera, apparently smiling, and a duckling waddles across a turtle-covered log.

A gentoo penguin is also shown snubbing a second penguin on a beach in the Falkland Islands.

This year’s beneficiary is the Whitley Fund for Nature a UK charity that supports conservation leaders working in their home countries across the southern hemisphere.

It has channelled £20 million to more than 200 conservationists in 80 countries, supporting work rooted in communities to create lasting benefits for wildlife, landscapes, and people.

Voting is open until November 27.

Wildlife photographer of the year