Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA  — The animal kingdom is a dynamic place, filled with plenty of action and drama. Freeze and capture any moment in time and an animal's behavior can become hilarious.

A dancing gorilla, a smoking duck and frog teamwork are among the 40 images shortlisted for this year's Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards.

Narrowed down from thousands of entries submitted by professional and amateur photographers from around the world, the competition aims to celebrate the hilarity of our natural wildlife.

And this year's selection does not disappoint.

The overall winner, category and highly commended winners will be announced on 9 December.

Last year's winner was a photo of a red squirrel seemingly stuck in a tree

Bad Hair Day! [Photo credit: Christy Grinton: Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards]

Great Hair Day! [Photo credit: David Fetters: Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards]

Outdoor smoking zone. [Photo credit: Lars Beygang: Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards]

Peek a Boo. [Photo credit: Henry Szwinto: Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards]

Now which direction is my nest? [Photo credit: Alison Tuck: Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards]