Bears sharing a joke, a giraffe in a tree-hat: the funniest wildlife photos of 2026 are here

Two young brown bears appear to be sharing a joke. A giraffe in Kenya's Maasai Mara seems to be wearing a tree as a hat. A damselfly in Stoke-on-Trent waves through a hole in a leaf. The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards have named their 2026 finalists — chosen from a record 10,000-plus entries from 112 countries — and public voting for the People's Choice Award is now open. The awards use laughter on purpose: 'We use humour to get people to feel empathy towards wildlife,' says co-founder Tom Sullam, 'and it's that empathy that creates behavioural change.' Winners will be announced on December 8 in London, with the Born Free Foundation as this year's charity partner.