The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards is currently being exhibited at the Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery, Basingstoke until Sunday 29 June. This is the final month, so don’t miss out!
This hilarious award brings together comedy and conservation and here on display are the 40 finalists from the 2024 competition. From a surprised owl to a cheeky fish, the exhibition celebrates the lighter side of wildlife while educating visitors on the importance of protecting the natural world.
In this blog, we shed some light on why conservation awareness is so important and what you can do to help.
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards mission
The competition began with photographer Paul Joynson-Hicks’s passion for wildlife photography and his realisation that it could entertain whilst also raising awareness about the threats facing animals around the world. Together with co-founder Tom Sullam, he developed a mission to ‘widen understanding and engagement of a sustainable world – and wildlife conservation specifically’ by celebrating comedy wildlife photography. Since launching in 2015, this free-to-enter competition has grown into a much-loved annual event, with thousands of people entering from all over the world.
Every small action helps
Wildlife plays a vital role in supporting our ecosystems - sustaining the air we breathe and the food that we eat. Yet more than ever, the animals featured in this exhibition are under threat from habitat destruction, climate change and pollution.
In the UK, puffins are expected to decline by 90% in the next 30 years because of overfishing and shifting fish stocks. And globally, chimpanzees are now among over 30 animal species considered endangered, with only an estimated 172,700 to 299,700 left. They have already disappeared entirely from four countries due to deforestation and loss of habitat.
However, there are stories of hope we have seen in recent years, thanks to local conservation efforts. Otters had completely disappeared from parts of the UK because of pesticides and habitat loss, but following efforts to restore their river habitats, they are now present throughout Hampshire and their numbers continue to rise.
Jörn Clausen, ‘Where do you think you're going’, on display at the Willis Museum to the left. Charles-Janson, ‘Otter-Guru’, on display at the Willis Museum to the right.
What you can do
Luckily, there are small things you can do to make a big difference:
- Create a space for wildlife – A log pile or bug hotel in your garden gives animals somewhere to live and thrive.
- Reduce your waste – Recycling paper and using your own water bottle or shopping bag instead of buying plastic reduces waste that is hazardous to animals and slows deforestation.
- Volunteer locally – Support your local wildlife shelter, like HART Wildlife Rescue or the RSPCA, to help care for and maintain wildlife in your area.
If you’d like to make a difference on a larger scale, visit the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust website to learn more about getting involved in conservation efforts.
Come along to the Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery to enjoy the candid, hilarious photographs and learn more about this incredible competition!
