What happens when we look at animals differently?

By María Morena Vicente and Emiliano Rodríguez Nuesch

A bird looks annoyed. A fish appears to scream. A bear raises its paws as if caught doing something it shouldn't.

This photo of an 'angry bird' - Europe's smallest bird, a goldcrest - was taken in Germany.

The photographer said the expression of this blenny in Brazil reminded him of the panic you feel when you wake up late.

This shot of a brown bear posing was taken when the photographer was observing them in Finland.

The finalists of the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards capture animals in moments that look surprisingly familiar. We laugh because we recognise expressions and gestures we know from our own lives.

For a moment, the distance between us and other species seems smaller. We stop seeing an animal as an example of wildlife and start paying attention to the individual in front of the camera.

Perhaps compassion begins with something as simple as a smile, followed by a closer look.