We love looking at pictures of animals. We love seeing photos of cats and dogs. We love seeing pictures of wild animals in their natural habitats. We love learning about animals through these photos. We often end up smiling or even laughing at the cutest pictures and the funniest pictures of animals because, let’s face it, animals can be really funny sometimes especially if you take a photo at just the right moment.

Wildlife photographer Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE started the The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards in 2015. He was inspired by some photos of wild animals that made him laugh. He thought these photos made animals more relatable to people.

Since 2015, Tom Sullam joined the team as co-founder, and Michelle Wood helps out as well. With their help, Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has become an international competition. The goal of the photos is for “viewers to share our enjoyment of nature and take the time to recognize its value.”

Thousands of photos are submitted to the competition every year from both novice and professional photographers. Only the best ones can win. Scroll down to see 19 of the funniest photos from the finalists in the 2021 competition.