Sassy penguins, thoughtful bears and less-than-impressed lions: The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Ponderous bears, unimpressed lions and sassy penguins all appear in this year's finalists for Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. 

Melodramatic monkeys, hungry hippos and even a bear-slapping salmon make the list of the annual photography competition, held to support sustainability and conservation.

This year the charity being backed is the Whitley Fund for Nature, a UK charity that helps conservation leaders working in their home countries across the Global South - broadly speaking the regions of Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Over 29 years it has channelled £20million to more than 200 conservationists in 80 countries.

The winner of the competition will be announced on 8 December, with the top prize being a one week Safari in Kenya as well as a handmade trophy from Tanzania.

This picture of a Picasso Triggerfish was taken in Marsa Shagra, Egypt. The fish has just vomited the coral residues that it picked up while eating.

A lioness looks distinctly unimpressed by being photographed shortly after yawning in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, Kenya.

This young proboscis monkey looks shocked to its very core as its snap is taken in Kinabatangan River, Sukau, Borneo.

A sassy penguin is in no mood to deal with his fellow bird as they hangout at the beach on the Falkland Islands.

Well hello there! A raccoon waves for the camera on a beach in Florida, USA.

A monkey reclines in relaxation while a fellow primate tends to their needs near a Cambodian temple.

This bluebull may look like something out of Greek mythology, but it is actually being attacked by a Saras Crane after it strayed too close to the bird's nest in the Keoladeo National Park, India.

A bear gets more than it bargained for when its would be fish supper fights back in Alaska.

A screech owl opts to hop rather than fly as it makes its way around Hungary.

Heading off? One of these penguins seems unsure what's happened to his friend as they stand at Volunteer Point on the Falkland Islands.

A trick of perception makes it look as if this yawning hippo is about to make very short work of a heron in South Africa's Kruger National Park.

This Southern Cassowary bird looks supremely satisfied having frightened off a group of picnickers in Queensland, Australia.

A brown bear cub stops to smell the flowers in Finland.

This cheeky squirrel seems to blow a raspberry at the camera by sticking its tongue out in Zhuque National Forest Park, Xi'aan, China.

Lappet faced vultures appear to be preparing to curtsy as they spread their wings in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Brown bear cubs group together to look like a very cute version of the mythical Hound of Hell near Kuril Lake in Russia.

A monkey smirks in the Saudi Arabian city of Abha where they frequently steal food from people.

This cheeking duckling could end up shell-shocked if any of the turtles it is using as stepping stones notice in Washington State, USA.

An owl and an owlet squeeze together to peer out of their nest in Tampa, Florida, USA.

This three-month-old lion cub makes a bit of a mess of trying to get out of a tree on the Serengeti in Tanzania.

A meerkat seems startled after his friend sneaks up on him in the Kalahari Trails Game Reserve in South Africa.

Bye for now! An Emperor penguin chick seems to wave goodbye in Antarctica.