27 Photos of Nature’s Most Sublimely Impressive Goofs

Each of the finalists of the 2021 Comedy Wildlife Awards is a revelation

All photos: Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

The very best nature photography shows us the kings and queens of the jungle stalking majestically through their terrain; the lords and ladies of the forest gliding effortlessly from branch to branch; the fearsome rulers of the ocean lurking in the soundless depths. And the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards is for the other guys. The guys who are just like us. The goofy kangaroo singing in the shower. The penguin shuffling off to work after a late night out. The lion with a bad hair day.

This year’s finalists were selected out of more than 7,000 submissions from all over the planet, and each of these deeply relatable bozos is helping with a good cause: The competition is donating 10 percent of this year’s revenue to Save Wild Orangutans. And here are the finalists in all their glory.

The baby otter who knows what he did.

Photo: Chee Kee Teo

The third wheel at the polar bear meet-cute.

Photo: Cheryl Strahl

The ruby-crowned kinglet who’s adorable when he’s furious.

Photo: Patrick Dirlam

The Hamadryas baboon who ~BEL-iiiiieeeeves in life after love~.

Photo: Clemence Guinard

The grizzly bear who’s mastered the ancient art of the sarcastic slow clap.