The 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards has published its shortlist of 40 finalists, marking the return of the popular competition devoted to the funniest wildlife photography of the year. Colossal reported on the announcement on October 2, describing the selection as a blooper-reel-style survey of goofy accidents and candid moments captured in the wild. This year's edition drew more than 10,000 photographs from entrants in 112 countries, the highest entry count in the competition's history. The finalists span a broad range of species and habitats: Tanner Mansell's "Spicy Orangutan," photographed in Borneo, shows an orangutan in a startlingly human-like gesture; British photographer Lee Frost's "Nature's Window" catches a damselfly apparently waving through a hole nibbled in a leaf; and Barbara Seiberl-Stark's "Push Over" frames a lioness knocking over her own cub mid-play. Other contenders include David Lee's "The Leap He'll Never Forget," Scott Suriano's "Morning Calisthenics" of a bear rolling on its back, Jan Wittmer's "Angry Bird," Robert Gondek's "The Ground Is Lava," and Kevin Lohman's "Are You Kidding Me," which freezes a squirrel mid-leap toward a juvenile owl. Founded to channel humor toward wildlife conservation, the awards use laughter as a gateway to empathy for animals. Co-founder Tom Sullam told Colossal the project began as a modest awareness effort and has since grown far beyond its founders' expectations, arguing that humor makes people feel for wildlife and that empathy drives behavior change. The finalist list also includes youth submissions and portfolio categories, extending the contest beyond a single funny frame. The overall winners will be announced on December 8. Until then, the public can view all 40 finalists, plus portfolios, videos, and youth entries, on the competition's official website, and cast a vote for the Sterna People's Choice Award. The finalists' images are distributed with the photographers' permission, and the announcement has already prompted wide sharing of this year's contenders online.