“I Just Can’t Wait To Be King.” Credit: Bret Saalwaechter / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025

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“While photographing a pride of lions in the Serengeti, I watched as a group of cubs channeled their inner toddler tantrum, relentlessly demanding milk and attention from their mother, much to the exasperation of the adult lions,” writes photographer Bret Saalwaechter.

“Life in the dry season is no picnic—lions are anxiously waiting for the Great Migration and the feast it promises—but it makes for some incredible wildlife behavior and these cubs were the stars of the show. For over an hour, they followed their mother around a famous Serengeti kopje—those iconic rocky outcrops that dot the landscape—alternating between trying to suckle and play. Each time the mother, already in a foul mood from the sweltering heat, would give a quick roar of disapproval and escape the circus. But the cubs, like any persistent little ones, would chase her down, nipping at her and yelping for more attention. This back-and-forth drama played out again and again, until I captured the perfect moment: the entire pride, in perfect unison, seemed to say, ‘Not this again!’”

Saalwaechter’s photograph of the encounter (seen above) is now a finalist at the 2025 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

**“Now which direction is my nest?” **A windy day on Bempton Cliffs during the nesting season. *Credit: Alison Tuck / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 *

Each year, the awards celebrate the hilarious hijinks of the animal kingdom and this year is no exception. From silly birds to flying squirrels and open-mouthed fish to gossiping leopards, you’ll chuckle at every image. The winners will be announced on December 9.

“If I have seen further…” In a bore casing on a minesite tenement around two hours drive from Leonora, there live a colony of frogs. Slightly too short to see over the PVC casing, they make do wherever they can. *Credit: Andrew Mortimer / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * “Welcome to Zen Lemur Yoga Course!” Instructor Lemur demonstrates perfect enthusiasm, reaching high to embrace the universe. Student Lemur contemplates whether enlightenment is worth this much effort before breakfast. Flexibility? Optional. Dramatic flair? Mandatory. *Credit: Andrey Giljov / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * “Go away” This was taken in Japan where I was observing a White-Tailed Sea Eagle putting their fish in a hole and protecting it. This one had a fish and saw another Eagle coming in to try and steal it. *Credit: Annette Kirby / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * “What do you mean I need to see a dentist?” ** A porcupine fish that has a mouthful of algae and seems to have trouble closing his mouth. So he has this eternal shocked look, and his dental hygiene is probably bothering me more than it’s bothering him! *Credit: Bingqian Gao/ Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * “The Frog Prince of the Grape Vine” Meet the Frog Prince of my little garden — he’s been lazing around guarding my grape vine, waiting for a kiss, but I think he’s just here for the grapes. This charming amphibian seems to have mistaken the vine for his royal court, lounging among the plump fruit as if he’s the monarch of the orchard. Credit: Beate Ammer */ Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * Beate Ammer “Territorial Defence Operation” Rest day in Iceland after a scientific field session of 5 weeks in Greenland. White tailed eagle was harassed by a goeland ! Credit: Antoine Rezer */ Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * Antoine Rezer “Hornbill In A Hurry” This hornbill was spooked by the incoming tawny eagle and decided a quick exit was probably wise. Its ungainly departure was captured in a sequence of shots but this one for me perfectly captured the panic of the hornbill at that moment. The hornbill safely escaped although I doubt the tawny eagle was seriously interested in tackling that hornbill beak anyway. Credit: Geoff Martin */ Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * “Relaxing in the trees!” This Yellow-cheeked Gibbon was just hanging out in the trees. Looks like he’s waiting for a beer to be served. Credit: Diana Rebman */ Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * Diana Rebman “Bad mouthing” These are two siblings the smaller one being the female leopard. They were playing with each other and for a moment the male just put his arm on her shoulder and appereared as if he is bad mouthing of another leopard. Credit: Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod */ Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * H.L.P.VINOD “Darling, please stop!” During a heavy rain, the male shakes his mane several times, annoying his partner. Credit: Massimo FELICI */ Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * Massimo Felici “Headlock!” Two Bridled Guillemots in the midst of a domestic dispute. The island of Hornøya is always a hectic mix of chaos and noise, squabbling seabirds vying for space and nesting sites. Sometimes you just want to bite your neighbours head off — literally! *Credit: Warren Price / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * “Squirrel airborne: surrender mode” **This flying squirrel looks like it’s throwing in the towel mid-air—arms wide, total surrender! *Credit: Stefan Cruysberghs / Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2025 * Stefan Cruysberghs

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