NEW DELHI: The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2024 winners have been announced and the grand prize has been awarded to Italian photographer Milko Marchetti for his amusing shot titled โStuck Squirrel.โ The photograph which was taken on April 23, 2022 in Podere Pantaleone Park, Bagnacavallo, Ravenna, Italy, captures a squirrel seemingly stuck in a tree.
Marchettiโs image stood out for its humor and the unique position of the squirrel which appears to be wedged in the treeโs hole. The photo captures the exact moment the squirrel is detaching its hind legs to enter its hide. Marchetti explained, โI have taken several photos of squirrels in many situations but this shot immediately struck me for the strange position assumed by the squirrel.โ
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For winning the competition Marchetti will enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime safari in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. He will also receive a grand handmade trophy from the Wonder Workshop in Tanzania and a photography bag from Think Tank.
The competition was fierce with only 40 photographers shortlisted from over 9,000 entries across 98 countries. Founded in 2015 by photographers and conservationists Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards celebrate the lighter side of wildlife.
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Marchettiโs โStuck Squirrelโ was chosen as the winner from a record number of entries which mark the the highest in the competitionโs 10-year history. The judges praised Marchettiโs excellent capture which they described as an โexcellent capture of a red squirrel stuck in a tree.โ The award ceremony took place at Oxo Gallery in London.
Stefan Maier, senior general manager of marketing at Nikon Europe, expressed his excitement over Marchettiโs win. He praised the photograph for โbrilliantly capturing the playful and unpredictable moments that make nature so enchanting.โ
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Marchetti shared that whenever he shows this image at nature seminars the audience always bursts into laughter. โI had to enter it,โ he said. His winning photo serves as a reminder of the amusing and unpredictable moments in nature.
The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards continue to bring attention to conservation through humor and highlight the importance of protecting wildlife. Marchettiโs win is a testament to the power of photography in capturing the beauty and humor of the natural world.
