'Talk to the fin!': These are the funniest wildlife photos of 2022

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have announced their winners for 2022, encouraging people to celebrate nature and take the time to recognise its value.

Jennifer Hadley's 'Talk To The Fin' photograph, taken in the Falkland Islands, won the People's Choice Award in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. Source: Supplied / Jennifer Hadley/Comedy Wildlife

Key Points

• The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
• The awards began as a small competition in 2015, and have now grown to attract thousands of entries each year.
• They aim to celebrate the hilarity of nature while also highlighting the threats animals face.

Optical illusions, moments of clumsiness and comical expressions have taken out top honours at this year's Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

US photographer Jennifer Hadley was named overall winner and Creatures of the Land Award winner for her "not so cat-like reflexes" photograph, which captured the moment a lion club awkwardly tumbled out of a tree.

"He wanted to get down and walked all over the branches looking for the right spot and finally just went for it. It was probably his first time in a tree and his descent didn't go so well," she said.

'Not so cat-like reflexes': A 3-month-old lion cub attempts to descend from a tree. Credit: Jennifer Hadley

"He was just fine though after landing on the ground. He got up and ran off with some other cubs."

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards were launched in 2015, and now attract thousands of entries each year.

Jean Jacques Alcalay won the Spectrum Photo Creatures in the Air Award in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. Source: Supplied / Jean Jacques Alcalay / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

The free competition is open to wildlife photography novices, amateurs and professionals.

It celebrates the hilarity of the natural world while also highlighting what needs to be done to protect it.

"A funny animal photo is incredibly effective because there are no barriers to understanding, or taboos that must be negotiated," the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards website says.

"It taps into the impulse for anthropomorphism ... which is well-documented as one of the most powerful triggers for human empathy.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards also aim to draw attention to the threats facing animals, using humour to attract audiences.

"To really understand animals and the issues that affect them, you need to empathise with them as fellow inhabitants of the same planet."

Who were the other award winners?

Creatures Under the Sea Award: Arturo Telle Thiemann, Spain

Spanish photographer Arturo Telle Thiemann was awarded the 'Creatures Under the Sea Award' for their picture 'Say cheeeese'. Source: Supplied / Arturo Telle Thiemann / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Junior Award: Arshdeep Singh, India

Indian photographer Arshdeep Singh won the Junior Award for their photograph 'I CU boy!'. Source: Supplied / Arshdeep Singh / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Amazing Internet Portfolio Award: Jia Chen, Canada

Jia Chen won the Amazing Internet Portfolio Award in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. Source: Supplied / Jia Chen / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Highly Commended: Alex Pansier, Netherlands

Dutch photographer Alex Pansier was awarded a Highly Commended in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards for their photograph 'Jumping Jack'. Source: Supplied / Alex Pansier / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Highly Commended: Federica Vinci, Italy

Italian photographer Federica Vinci captured one monkey taking care of another while walking near a Cambodian temple. Source: Supplied / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Highly Commended: Jagdeep Rajput, India

Indian photographer Jagdeep Rajput captured this optical illusion photograph, titled 'Pegasus, the flying horse'. Source: Supplied / Jagdeep Rajput / Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards