Many wild animals are known for their majestic beauty, or perhaps their brave ferocity. We often see photos of them in their natural habitat locked in a battle for survival, or scavenging for a meal. Though this behavior is fascinating to see, nothing elicits the same simple joy as watching them, well, horse around.

That’s the idea behind The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, a competition currently in its fourth year of delivering funny photos of animals being silly. Founded by wildlife photographers and enthusiasts Tom Sullam and Paul Joynson-Hicks, the competition isn’t all about fun and jokes. They work alongside the Born Free Foundation to highlight the importance of conserving our planet’s wildlife.

This year’s competition was flooded with thousands