A huge number of people spend a lot of time enjoying animal photos and videos. Millions of images from a variety of furry friends get posted and shared on social media every day.
It is much like a competition, with people trying to capture or find the cutest or funniest animal behavior shots they can.
What many people do not know is that there is actually a competition that combines animal photography and comedy. It is called the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards and the winners have been announced.
The competition is open to anyone who wants to enter. Organizers say it is intended to be a “light-hearted, upbeat and possibly unpretentious” way to show wildlife doing funny things. This year more than 3,500 entries were received from photographers in 86 countries.
The overall winner for 2017 was a photo of three owls on a branch. Two of the owls are sitting on the branch looking into the distance. The third appears to be struggling to climb up, with the other two owls seemingly ignoring their friend’s troubles.
We’ve put together some of the other winners and finalists for you to enjoy.
Kung Fu training (Australian style)
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, Andrey Giljov, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation. Kung fu training (Australian style). Funny Mammals from South America to Australia. (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
All dressed and ready for church
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, Carl Henry, Houston, United States. All Dressed And Ready For Church. Mom, do we always have to be the first ones at church? (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
Coming in for a landing
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, Graeme Guy, George Town, Malaysia. Outsourcing seatbelt checks. Masai Mara airstrip with a plane landing 'below' giraffe height. (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
Hitching a ride
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, Daisy Gilardini, Vancouver, Canada. Hitching a ride. Polar bear mother with cub. (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
The king
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, JEAN-JACQUES ALCALAY, MONTMEYRAN, France. Animal encounters. Blue wildebeest standing on a mound. (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
Duck speed
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, John Threlfall, Preston, United Kingdom. Duck Speed! Duck in front of plane trail. (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
Monkey business
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, Katy Laveck Foster, Seattle, United States. Monkey Escape. Celebes Macaques, Tangkoko Nature Reserve. (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
What's up doc?
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, Olivier Colle, Bredene, Belgium. What's up doc? (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
Disco bear
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, Chris Martin, Redwood Meadows, Canada. Disco Dancer. A black bear shows off his disco move in the forest. (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Competition, Douglas Croft, San Jose, United States. Must Have Three-putted... Golf is a Frustrating Game. (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
Bath time
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, Penny Palmer, San Rafael, United States. Cheering sea otter. Hallelujah! (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
The slap
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2017, Troy MAYNE, Bacong, Philippines. The Slap! A Green Turtle vs A Napoleon Maori Wrasse. (Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards)
If you cannot get enough of the funny wildlife photos, the organization has a book that includes many, many more.
The competition helps support the Born Free Foundation, which seeks to protect threatened wildlife. The prize for the 2017 Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year is a trophy, as well as a free trip to take part in a one-week safari in Kenya.
I’m Bryan Lynn.
Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.
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