Everybody has photobombed or been photobombed before. It’s a classic practical joke where you see someone taking a picture and you find your way to insert yourself into the background, ruining an otherwise good photo. Bonus points for silly faces or unique poses, of course. As with all internet trends, though, the person-on-person photobombing wasn’t enough.
As it turns out, animals can photobomb just as well as humans can! Just how many instances are there of animals photobombing people, you might be asking yourself? More than you might think. Buckle up—here are 40 of the best animal photobombs.
1. Who knew seals had so much personality?
We all knew seals were cute but we didn’t know they would perform so much for the camera! As you can see, this group of penguins was just minding their own business when this silly little guy decided to get in on the action. We definitely approve.
2. We all wish we could be as smooth as this baby turtle.
We’ll take a photo of a baby turtle any day, though especially one that’s breaking up an awkward family photo. The timing and composition on this one is so comical that it seems like it’s Photoshopped. Still, we assure you: this is 100% real.
There’s something about men on horseback that suggests dignity, order and a general sense of social elevation. What better way to throw that into hilarious contrast than with this picture of a horse going rogue for the camera? As the old saying goes, sometimes a picture is worth 1000 words.
4. I never knew stingrays actually had faces like these before this photo.
If you’ve spent any time at all on the internet, you’ve probably seen this photo before. Still, it’s a classic. When it comes to sea creatures, there’s typically a lot of things we don’t know about them since they’re always deep underwater. For example, stingrays have strange looking faces. Thanks to this photobomb, now we all know that.
5. We all just want to be noticed.
Although we all have different animals we’re fond of, the giraffe has always been a personal favorite. While there are plenty of reasons to like them from their incredible height to their unique coats, they’re also very silly. For proof of that, look no further than this guy throwing his tongue right in the middle of the frame!
6. Sloths are welcome in any photo I ever take.
While they’re definitely some very cute animals, sloths are known above all for being very lazy. Still, being lazy didn’t stop this adorable little guy from swinging right in the middle of this group shot! In our opinion, having a sloth in a picture can only make it that much better anyway.
7. Does anybody else out there find horses absolutely terrifying?
Even if some people find them regal and inspiring, I personally am terrified of horses. Whenever I’m near one, I’m afraid they’re going to back up, jump on me or kick me from behind. Still, it’s hard not to appreciate how hilarious this photobomb is… regardless, I think I would still keep my distance.
8. We’re not sure if they went with this one as the official picture—but it’s definitely a keeper.
You’re liable to spend a lot of money on wedding photos. With that money comes a lot of shots, a lot of different poses and a lot of chances to get the pictures just right. In the midst of all that photography, however, sometimes something incredible happens—like this little guy hopping into frame!
9. We’d actually that the man is photobombing the emu here, not the other way around.
With this one, we have some questions about what constitutes a true photobomb. Though the emu looks a little surprised, he’s definitely the main focal point of this picture—if anything the man is interrupting it! Regardless, we can’t stop looking at this one.
10. Raise your hand if you ever wanted a flying cat of your own.
Cats are some of the world’s strangest animals. Although they think they’re predators, they often act like prey around the house due to their diminutive size. Still, how often do you get to catch a cat taking a leap of faith like this one did?
11. Absolutely perfect timing on this one. Well done, little guy.
Although many of the photobombs we have on this list are of land animals, every now and then a sea creature has a particularly inspired moment. Somehow, this fish was in the right place at the right time for this hilarious picture.
12. Anybody who has ever had a cat will recognize the pose in this picture quite well.
As we’ve said already, cats are very proud animals. Even if they’re tiny, they still think that they own you and that they dominate the space around them. As anyone who has ever owned a cat knows, this pose is a familiar one—it just doesn’t usually get fore-staged quite like this.
13. Sometimes the best photo opportunities come when you put the camera down.
Ok, so technically this one doesn’t fit the same format as some of the others—but it’s really something special. Even when you have all the best equipment and all the preparation in the world, sometimes you end up missing some of the best stuff by turning away for just a second. Fortunately, in this case, there was a second photographer!
14. This cow has a really developed sense of humor.
Have you ever taken a photo in front of a friend after they made some kind of silly mistake? If so, you definitely can relate to the laughing cow in this photograph. Even if it’s just a happy accident, this grinning cow is one of the better photobombs we’ve seen in a while.
15. “This is my moment. This is my moment to shine.”
If you have a pet that you love, one thing that you’ll absolutely have to get accustomed to that your pets will ruin your photos. Still, that’s the price you pay for having an adorable companion—after all, who couldn’t love this little guy?
16. Look out! There’s a giant adorable dog right behind you!
Sometimes photobombs are just a fun accident or a silly figure in the background. On the other hand, you have photos like this that seem like they were planned. As this little pup shows, putting things in the right place in a photo can make it look like anything!
17. This may be one of the only true butterfly selfies in existence.
If you’ve ever been out in the woods and had a butterfly land right on your hand, you know how special that moment can be. Still, it doesn’t always happen to us when our phones are out ready to take a picture! Fortunately, in this case it did—and now we have the world’s first butterfly selfie.
18. The giraffes may be out of focus, but this is one happy ostrich.
When you really think about it, giraffes and ostriches are both rather long-necked animals… but it’s hard to beat a giraffe if you’re standing next to one. Fortunately for this happy little ostrich, the giraffes are in the background and it’s his time to shine!
19. Here’s a little known fact: to take a photograph a picture of Machu Picchu, you have to clear it with the llamas.
Getting all the way to Machu Picchu in the Peruvian mountains takes a lot of work. Still, what they don’t tell you is that once you’re up there you’re liable to see a bunch of llamas. As it turns out, some of them really like being photographed!
20. This little fish saw his opportunity, and he took it. Bravo.
Everybody wants to be cool and that impulse extends to the animal kingdom as well. When you were a kid, didn’t you want to associate with the cooler kids? If you can relate to that, you should definitely be able to relate to the little fish jumping out of the water in this picture as well!
21. This one looks like the cover of a really weird art house movie.
If you’re anything like me, you may have seen a lot of strange European films in your time. If so, take a look at these two strange animals looking at one another and tell me you couldn’t see this on the cover of a DVD. At least they look like they’re friends?
22. Just another reminder why dogs are man’s best friend.
If you’re ever feeling blue, sometimes it helps to get out of your head and try to see things from a different perspective. Having a dog around to play with can definitely help as well. In the case of this photo, doing both at the same time may be your best bet.
23. It doesn’t matter where you go—nowhere is safe from an animal photobomb.
Imagine traveling all the way around the world and climbing to the top of the highest peak you can imagine. Imagine getting up there, getting the camera out and preparing to take the victory photo. Now imagine this is the photo you get. Amazing.
24. “Hey I thought we weren’t allowed to be up there!”
If you’re noticing an ongoing theme with this series of pictures, it’s that cats don’t care about what you think. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. As case in point, this first cat has jumped right on the table… but the cat photobombing in the background at least seems to know that what he’s doing is wrong.
25. This one is a little more subtle, but we still love it.
We typically think of camouflage as green, brown and grey, but in reality the colors we cloak ourselves in need to shift to fit each situation. While most of the photobombs on this list are about being as obvious as possible, this duck decided to take the complete opposite approach.
26. “You will look at my butt. Look at it.”
Did we mention that cats like to force you to look at their butts? Well just in case that point didn’t fully hit home, here’s some more photographic evidence of it. Just make sure you know this before you get a cat of your own!
27. Birds make me uneasy—and so does this photograph.
If you ever had a parrot as a kid, you may know that while these birds can be very beautiful, they can also be very mischievous. They can yelp and they can bite at a moment’s notice—and for those reasons, I hope this little girl gets far, far away from this bird!
28. Just keep looking. You’ll see it.
As we said before, not all photobombs are completely in your face. Sometimes the best part of a photobomb is the subtlety of them, a subtlety that cats have completely mastered. We won’t give it away but you’ll see it if you keep looking.
29. This is more than a photobomb, this is full-on monkey assault.
Trips to the zoo can definitely be fun but you’ve gotta watch out sometimes—nobody wants to be on the receiving end of a monkey attack. Still, if you’re going to be in that situation anyway, you might as well have a friend nearby to snap a picture of it.
30. You thought we were just joking about Machu Picchu, didn’t you?
Machu Picchu is definitely worth visiting for all the historical significance and scenic beauty. But like we said, once you make it up there with your family and the cameras are out, you’ll have to be ready for all the llamas.
31. Some pups just need to hog all the attention.
There are so many great things about this picture. Although the photobombing pup in the center of the photo is trying to steal the scene, let’s not even talk about the puppy digging a hole in the background. Man, we love the beach.
We can’t always be in the right place at the right time. When it comes to photography as an art, part of the beauty of it is in knowing exactly where to put the camera and when to snap. Other times, there are happy little accidents like this one.
33. Who knew that elk were so good at doing impressions?
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Does it count for even more when it’s particularly hard to do the imitation in question? If so, the elk in this picture must really be a fan of the man in the foreground.
34. Just a normal, happy family. Nothing to see here, folks.
We’ve seen giraffes stick out their tongue at visitors already on this list. On the other end of that spectrum, there’s cute little guys like this one who just want to join in on the fun. Scoot over, guys!
35. This whale was determined to get in this picture no matter how much effort it took.
Most of the photobombs on this list were accidents or at least didn’t take that much effort to pull off. This picture, on the other hand, is a work of art. Imagine the timing it took to get this right and the effort it took to get out of the water… simply incredible.
36. Kangaroos can photobomb, too!
While some of these pictures are funny, some are cute and some are adorable, this photo gets my pick for the most personality of them all. If there’s a better picture of a kangaroo doing an impression of a human, we don’t know about it.
37. Nothing to see here, apparently.
If there’s a running theme in almost all of these photos, it’s that animals have egos too. Just because you had a plan of taking a picture of a beautiful view of the cityscape, that pigeon just might have some other plans.
38. Another perfectly placed photobomb, toad edition.
While the camera definitely captured this little guy’s best angle, an underrated part of the picture is that the eyes of the toad line up perfectly with the eyes of the girl behind him. When everything lines up like that, you’ve got yourself a photobomb masterpiece.
39. Don’t even try to get a picture at Macchu Picchu. Just don’t.
That’s right, we saved the best for last. We’re not even sure this one qualifies as a pure photobomb. After all, this time it’s no people, all llama—and we say the photo is all the better for it, personally.
40. Baby’s first photobomb!
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: animals can also photobomb other animals! When you add the parent and child dynamic that you’ve got going on in this photo, now we’re talking about true photobomb perfection.
Needless to say, there’s no shortage of photos like these all over the internet. Sometimes it’s an animal bombing a human, sometimes it’s an animal bombing an animal. No matter what the circumstances are, we’re definitely in support of this kind of photograph. Which one of these is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
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