The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards are back, once again using humour to help convey a serious conservation message.
Entries are being accepted until 30 June and can depict any wild animal in a natural habitat setting (so no pets or captive animals). After that, judges including TV presenter Kate Humble will draw up a shortlist of candidates and voting will open for the Affinity Photo People’s Choice Award, before the winners are announced at the end of the year.
The awards were co-founded by Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam, professional photographers who wanted to create a competition that focused on the lighter side of wild animals but most importantly, to promote the conservation of wildlife and their habitats, through humorous and light-hearted imagery and a positive message.
Through a partnership with the Born Free Foundation, the official competition partner, the awards aim to help ensure the planet’s wildlife is there for generations to come.
This year’s message is: ‘What can you do to be a conservationist at home?’ Paul and Tom have provided us with some top tips, along with a few of the best entries so far…
1. Shop responsibly
“This is super-easy for everyone to do. For example, don’t buy products which contain palm oil, because the palm oil plantations are destroying rainforests and thus affecting habitats and the global weather. Try and avoid non-recyclable products. Why not give yourself a modest target for changing something each week?”
2. Water use at home
“Ok, this is the thing, each time you flush the loo we send approximately 20 litres of water down the drain. So, ‘if it’s yellow, let it mellow…’ (you know the rest!) Have shorter showers, water your garden a little less.
Imagine if we all stop flushing our loos each time we did a wee, then billions and billions of litres of fresh water would be saved and available to rush down rivers, feed the fish, save the lakes and enable forests and trees and plants to flourish and grow, which adds oxygen to our environment as well as supplying homes and food for a global plethora of wildlife.”
3. Become a ‘wild influencer’
“Yup, you heard it here first. This is a special person who may be not a mega-activist, but really, really cares about the environment and what is happening, so you do a few very simple and easy things.
For example, encourage your friends and family to do some of the simple things we have mentioned above; talk about it in social media, in the pub or at work. Does your workplace subscribe to good environmental practices? Find really awesome conservation organisations and engage with them on email, or social media.
Email or write to your local government representative and find out what they are doing to help the wildlife around the world. Hold your elected representatives accountable. You have a voice, we all do, use it and don’t be afraid.”
‘Lastly—and perhaps most importantly—every single little thing you do for conservation, as an individual, a family, a club, a workplace, makes an impact. Do it!”