The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards short list is pure animal magic

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The competition has received 1,502 entries from wildlife snappers based in 52 countries worldwide
The victor will win a one-week photographic safari in southern Tanzania for them and a guest with return flights
Wildlife TV presenter Kate Humble, photographers Tom Sullam and comedian Hugh Dennis are on the judging panel

Published: 07:59 EST, 9 October 2015 | Updated: 17:15 EST, 9 October 2015

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More than 1,500 snappers submitted their most hilarious pictures of all creatures great and small, and now 45 have made the cut.

From drunken-eyed owls to embarrassed chipmunks and laughing goats - the finalists in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards are guaranteed to raise a smile.

In its inaugural year, the competition has received 1,502 entries from wildlife snappers based in 52 countries worldwide.

Chief judge Paul Joynson-Hicks launched the quirky challenge because of his love of the lighter side of the animal kingdom.

The next stage of judging will take place later this month, before the winners are announced on November 11.

The victor will win a one-week photographic safari in southern Tanzania for them and a guest with return flights, and a Nikon D750 camera.

There will also be prizes for the photographers awarded silver and bronze runners up.

Also on the judging panel are wildlife TV presenter Kate Humble, photographers Tom Sullam and Will Burrard-Lucas, comedian Hugh Dennis and Will Travers OBE, president of the Born Free Foundation.

Rock on: This goat appears to find his mountain-based lifestyle absolutely hilarious

Life at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa can be head-scratchingly confusing it seems

This Verreaux's Sifaka in Madagascar has all the groovy moves, with this pose reminiscent of Saturday Night Fever

Oops! This seal looks extremely embarrassed about something. The image is one of hundreds that were submitted

How rude! This gorilla appears to be making an obscene gesture at the photographer, Gil Gofer. She captured the moment in Uganda's Kibale Forest

Wildly funny: A squacco heron pokes its head up (left) while Vienna-based photographer Julian Rad caught a squirrel executing a kung fu move (right)

Chief judge Paul Joynson-Hicks launched the quirky challenge because of his love of the lighter side of the animal kingdom

The judging panel includes TV presenter Kate Humble, photographers Tom Sullam and Will Burrard-Lucas, comedian Hugh Dennis and Will Travers OBE, president of the Born Free Foundation

A curious Albatross takes a closer look at photographer Sebastian Kennerknecht's camera lens

Who goes hare? A pair of ears poke up above the grass in a charming picture taken by photographer Axel Kottal

Life's a hoot! An inquisitive owl peers into the lens of a GoPro in an image by Megan Lorenz that has made the final cut

Macedonian photographer Goran Anastasovski captured a monkey enjoying a banana (left) while London-based snapper Oli Dreike caught a gorilla picking its nose (right)

Cheeky pose: This image shows a hamster on the run, captured in such a way that it almost looks like it's floating

Kent-based Aaron Karnovski captured two chipmunks looking extremely anxious in a photograph that got a thumbs up from the judges

A situation that's just nuts: A red squirrel struggles to get to grips with a feeding box in this hilarious picture

Time for some shut-eye: This cheetah in Kenya was captured having a lie down and a yawn by Jeff Derx

I'm behind you! One giraffe hides behind another in this entry. The competition attracted images from 52 countries

The victor will win a one-week photographic safari in southern Tanzania for them and a guest with return flights, and a Nikon D750 camera

There will be prizes for the photographers awarded silver and bronze runners up. This image shows a cheetah cub in Tanzania

Bad hair day: This duck decided to get out and about despite having bed head

Tight squeeze: Three owls peer out of their tree nest, with one looking a teeny bit tipsy

Three heads? Remarkable image of three giraffes grazing together on the the savannah plains of Kenya's Samburu National Reserve which was caught on camera by Brit Tony Murtagh who was on safari