Winner of Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards Milko Marchetti

The winner of this year’s Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Award has just been announced and it will definitely make you smile.

You might remember that we shared some of the entertaining finalists earlier this year, but it was announced at Monday's award ceremony that Milko Marchetti’s ‘Stuck Squirrel’ scooped the top spot.

With more than 9000 entries, this year was the most hotly-contested awards in the event's 10-year history – and, according to the judges, there were only a few points between the top five entries.

However, Milko’s image of a red squirrel with its legs sticking out of the trunk was universally applauded by the panel.

“I have taken many, many photographs of squirrels, in many situations over the years, but this one struck me as really funny and such a strange position, because it is that exact moment when the squirrel is detaching its back legs from the trunk to enter its hide (which was an old woodpecker’s nest in a hollow tree),” Milko revealed.

“Whenever I show this image to people at various nature seminars I do at my local photography club, the audience always explode in raucous laughter, so I had to enter it!” And thankfully he did.

As the Overall Winner of this year’s competition, Milko has won a one-week safari with Alex Walker's Serian in the Masai Mara, as well as a handmade trophy from the Wonder Workshop in Tanzania and a THINK TANK photography bag to help capture more captivating images in the future.

Upon receiving the news that he was the 2024 winner, Milko said that he “shouted 'wow, wow, wow' quite a few times whilst also jumping for joy.” He went on to explain: “Looking at the beautiful finalist’s photos, I would never have thought that I would be the chosen one. What can I say – I am so, so happy.”

Milko wasn’t the only winner on the night, with nine other individual category winners, who had captured everything from reptiles and insects, to fish and other aquatic animals.

Tapani Linnanmäki

While these winners were chosen by the judges, the public named Tapani Linnanmäki the Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award winner for their image titled ‘Shake, Ruffle, Rattle and Roll,’ of a white-tailed eagle ruffling its feathers.

A further 10 entries were recognised as Highly Commended Winners, and each one of them is guaranteed to lighten your mood.