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Shakespearian penguins, winged bull among winners in 2022 Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards

This photo of a lion cub with not-so-catlike reflexes was the overall winner. (Jennifer Hadley)
This photo of a lion cub with not-so-catlike reflexes was the overall winner. (Jennifer Hadley)

People wax poetic about the majesty of nature — the vastness, diversity and colors. But, what about the comedy? That’s where the annual Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards come in. And this year’s winners do not disappoint.

Consider a bemused brown bear with a salmon embedded in its ear; a pair of penguins striking dramatic Shakespearian poses; and the overall winner, a lion cub falling out of a tree in a most un-catlike manner.

While the photos are funny, the skill and competition is anything but. The contest draws more than 5,000 entries from 85 countries and is judged by a diverse group of photographers. Contest co-creator Tom Sullam joins Here & Now‘s Robin Young to discuss the photos and why they matter.

Penguins strike a pose. (Jennifer Hadley)

In this junior category winner, an owl winks. (Arshdeep Singh)

The underwater category winner shows two fish smiling. (Arturo Telle)

This winning photograph shows a hippo and a heron. (Jean Jacques Alcalay)

A penguin appears headless. (Martin Grace)

A raccoon waves. (Miroslav Srb)

A flying squirrel. (Alex Pansier)

An antelope appears to have wings. (Jagdeep Rajput)

Two kangaroos play. (Michael Eastway)

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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