Playful Gorilla in Rwanda Helps Photographer Win Nikon's 2025 Comedy Wildlife Award

Straddling the border of Rwanda, the cluster of towering Virunga Mountains recently witnessed a dance performance that ended up winning an award from Nikon, the popular photographic equipment company. Deep within a dense coppice of mountain grasses, hugged by clusters of volcanoes and bamboo zones, one silver-haired gorilla was in a mood of some zesty boogie. British photographer Mark Meth-Cohn had come across this gorilla after trekking the mountains for four days. He had been looking for gorillas when he noticed this one, belonging to the Amahoro family, and he couldn’t help but capture the scene on his camera. The photograph turned out to be the winning image at the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2025.

When Meth-Cohn first came across them, the adult gorillas of the family were calmly foraging. This young one, however, seemed to have other plans for the day. “One young male was especially keen to show off his acrobatic flair: pirouetting, tumbling, and high kicking,” the photographer said, according to a press release. The winning photograph, titled “High Five,” features a jaunty gorilla with one of his legs raised in a stylish move. One of his arms is crossed over his chest while the other is swaying around his head. He also appears to be flashing his teeth in a cheeky smile. Speaking about his photograph, Meth-Cohn said, "This wasn’t just a fluke pose or momentary pull of the face, it was a deliberate act by a young gorilla to show off to his human cousins, an act that went on for several minutes."

“Watching his performance was hilarious, and all my efforts that morning were focused on him. I’m thrilled to have captured his playful spirit,” the photographer reflected. That day, he recalled, after he returned to the hotel and reviewed the pictures he had snapped, he had doubts in his mind about the potential of the pictures. Meth-Cohn shared with Nikon UK that the reason he believes his photo won the award is that it was “genuine comedy and a joy to witness!” This competition, he added, taught him to look for a lighter side in everything he photographs. “The smile factor is just as important as the wow factor,” he exclaimed, likely referring to the smile of the gorilla.

Meth-Cohn also secured the Highly Commended win for another of his photographs, titled “Aaaaawa - mum” last year, which shows a gorilla mum embracing her young gorilla while lying head-to-head with him in the grass. As its name suggests, the award aims to “change the narrative on conservation issues - by looking at the positive nature of wildlife and using humor to engage disengaged people,” they wrote on Instagram. The organizers received 10,000 entries this year, out of which they narrowed down their selection to 44 standout images and videos. 

Nikon Europe’s Senior General Manager of Marketing told CNN that the company is “incredibly proud to support these visual storytellers and provide them with the tools to share their unique perspectives.” The photographs of finalists were printed on Hahnemühle bamboo paper and were on display in an exhibit in OXO Gallery, South Bank, London, till December 14.

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