Milko Marchetti, a photographer who enjoyed taking pictures of squirrels in Italy, captured the moment a squirrel was about to enter a tree hole. At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary scene that could be overlooked, but upon reviewing the photos, he found that it looked as if the squirrel was stuck in the tree and unable to escape. Marchetti said, “I have been photographing squirrels for years, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a funny and strange posture,” adding that “every time I showed the photo at the local photography club, many people enjoyed it.”
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2024 announced on the 11th that Marchetti’s photo, ‘Stuck Squirrel,’ won the overall first prize this year. The competition featured over 9,000 submissions, making it the most competitive event in its history. The winner receives a trophy and an opportunity for a safari trip in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. Alongside the overall winner, awardees in 10 categories including reptiles, birds, and fish were also announced on the same day.
◇More than 9,000 artworks submitted this year, 10 selected
This competition, started in 2015 by British photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, awards photos that capture the comical side of wildlife. It aims to provide laughter to modern individuals weary of daily life while also raising awareness about endangered wildlife.
The photography exhibition has donated a portion of the revenue from the event to the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, a British wildlife protection foundation that co-hosts the event annually. For the past 30 years, the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust has supported over 200 animal conservation projects in 80 countries worldwide with more than 32.8 billion won.
The jury for the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards selected 10 final award-winning pieces from over 9,000 entries this year. Stefan Meyer, general manager of Nikon’s marketing division, evaluated, “This year’s competition had a record number of submissions and showcased the power of photography to evoke various emotions.”
◇The martial arts master squirrel and the sad owl
Another noteworthy winner from this year’s competition is Flynn Titanundé Rob. He submitted four squirrel photos and won in the portfolio institutional sector. The remarkable point is that he is only 10 years old. The squirrel in his photo strikes a dynamic pose that resembles a performer showcasing magnificent martial arts.
In addition, the emerging photographer award for those under 25 was given to a photo of a frog smiling while holding a camera, and the junior institutional sector award for those under 16 was awarded to a photo of an owl kissing. The winning piece in the emerging photographer sector, titled ‘Smiling Frog,’ looks like a playful child, fitting the meaning of a young photographer. Looking at the photo, one can't help but smile like the frog. The junior sector winner captures an owl standing in a surprised pose beside a lovely couple.
The amphibian sector awarded a photo of a frog wearing a cool helmet that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie. Although frogs don’t need to wear helmets for swimming, the frog in the photo appears to swim comfortably thanks to the helmet. The bird sector had a photo of a bird crashing to the ground due to a mislanding as the winner. The fish sector featured a photo of a bald eagle being chased by its prey, a sea bream.
Reference
The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Overall Winner of 2024, https://www.comedywildlifephoto.com/gallery/comedy-wildlife-2024-competition-winners.phphttps://www.comedywildlifephoto.com/gallery/comedy-wildlife-2024-competition-winners.php