Comedy Wildlife Photography 2017 awards pictures are funnier than ever

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have announced their winners.

Over 3500 entries from across the globe battled it out to be named the winner of five categories – On The Land, Under The Sea, Portfolio, Juniors and the overall winner.

John Threlfall snagged the In The Air prize for his photograph of four birds soaring across the sky, while one appears to be subtly passing wind out a stream of cloud.

Jodie Ramackers was awarded the Junior prize for her snap of a rhino using a mound of dirt to scratch his balls.

The On The Land prize went to Andrea Zampatti for his precious photo of a euphoric tiny dormouse at the top of a flower.

Andrea Zampatti won the On The Land category with this precious snap in Italy (Picture: Andrea Zampatti / Barcroft Images)

Bence Mate was highly commended for this comedic shot of two bears having some nighttime fun in Harghita, Romania (Bence Mate / Barcroft Images)

George Cathcart was highly commended for his shot of a shocked seal in San Simeon, California,  (George Cathcart / Barcroft Images)

Daniel Trim also won highly commended for his snap of two mudskippers fighting over territory in Krabi, Thailand (Daniel Trim / Barcroft Images)

Troy Mayne won the Under The Sea category for his hilarious photo of a fish being bitch slapped by a grumpy sea turtle’s fin.

The overall winner, and portfolio winner, was awarded to Tibor Kercz for his brilliant photo series of an owl losing its footing on a branch and desperately trying to claw his way back on to join his buddies.

Each category winner will be awarded a camera bag from THINK TANK, as well as a certificate to mount on their walls.

As overall winner, Kercz will win a safari to Kenya, courtesy of Alex Walker’s Serian and flown over from the UK by Kenya Airways. He will also win a trophy handmade by disabled men an women in Tanzania by the Wonder Workshop, a bag from THINK TANK and the title of Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017!

Jean-Jacques Alcalay was highly commended for his snap of a blue wildebeest appearing to ride a wave of hundreds of other wildebeest in Masai Mara, Kenya (Jean-Jacques Alcalay/ Barcroft Images)

Olivier Colle’s adorable snapshot of a wild rabbit was also highly commended in Flanders, Belgium (Olivier Colle / Barcroft Images)

Katy Laveck Foster was highly commended for her hilarious shot of some monkeys enjoying a moped in North Sulawesi, Indonesia (Katy Laveck Foster / Barcroft Images)

Photographers Tom Sullam and Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE founded the competition to raise awareness of conservation issues with a sense of humour.

Paul said: ‘It’s been a real success this year, the quality of images has improved substantially and we have had more entries and from more countries.

‘We had many more entries, from more countries – 86 in total this year – and with a much higher calibre of photograph.

‘For me one of my favourites was the fox peeing in the golf hole, I know that there are lots of people who feel the same way about golf! But there were so many incredible shots this year, it was really hard to choose.’

Comedy Wildlife will be celebrating the finale of the competition with an Awards Night at a gallery in London, but they are already looking ahead to the next contest.

‘We are always moving forward, next year we are looking forward to another increase in entries and receiving entires from even more countries.’

A rhino scratching his balls using a mound of dirt won the Junior category for Jodie Ramackers  (Jodie Ramackers / Barcroft Images)

Daisy Gilardini was also highly commended for her shot of a polar bear cub clambering up its mum’s butt in Manitoba, Canada (Daisy Gilardini / Barcroft Images)

John Threlfal snagged the Up In The Air category win with this shot of a duck flying in front of a plane trail in Preston, UK (John Threlfal / Barcroft Images)

Tibor Kercz’s adorable photo of an owl scrambling to get back on the branch has been named the overall winner, as well as the portfolio winner in Opusztaszer, Hungary (Tibor Kercz / Barcroft Images)

Penny Palmer was highly commended for her adorable snap of a happy sea otter in California, United States (Penny Palmer / Barcroft Images)

Troy Mayne won the Under The Sea category for his fantastic photo of a sea turtle bitch slapping a passing fish in Bacong, Philippines (Troy Mayne /Barcroft Images)

Douglas Croft was also highly commended for his photo of a fox appearing to use a golf course as his personal toilet in San Jose, USA (Douglas Croft / Barcroft Images)

Carl Henry was highly commended for his snapshot of a trio of penguins getting ready to head to church in South Georgia Island (Carl Henry / Barcroft Images)