In this photo taken Wednesday, March 8, 2017, a hospitality staff member pose for photos near the shadow of a tall light pole near the Great Hall of the People where a plenary session of the National People's Congress is held in Beijing, China. (Photo by Ng Han Guan/AP Photo)

A tourist takes photos of an Aurora Borealis display (Northern Lights) over the Bals-Fiord north of the Arctic Circle, near the village of Mestervik late September 30, 2014. (Photo by Yannis Behrakis/Reuters)

St Mary's Cathedral is illuminated as part of a Christmas lights display in celebration of Christmas on December 19, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Light sculptures glow in the dark at the zoo in Cologne, Germany, 04 December 2019. The artworks are on display at the zoo as part of the China Light Festival that runs until 09 January 2020 and features more than 70 light installations on the zoo grounds. (Photo by Sascha Steinbach/EPA/EFE)

In the 1970′s, actress and model Tippi Hedren (mother of actress Melanie Griffith) created the Shambala Preserve after producing the film Roar. The preserve rescued exotic big cats living in captivity that had been abused or were in need of help, one of which the family created a close bond with. Neil the lion lived with the family in their home, and played an active role in the day to day activities of the preserve.

As the world marks the International Day of the Girl Child, women's rights activists point to progress on a wide array of issues but say more needs to be done to protect girls from child marriage, sexual assault and other forms of exploitation. Here is a selection of pictures showing the daily lives of girls across the globe, all taken by female Associated Press photojournalists. Here: In this December 14, 2015, file photo, a young clown rides in the back of a car following a procession to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Hundreds belonging to various clown associations made their annual pilgrimage to the Basilica to pay their respects to the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint. (Photo by Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo)

Nuns from the United States dance as they wait for the Holy Mass with Pope Francis (not seen) at the Campus Misericordiae in Brzegi, Poland, 31 July 2016. Today Pope Francis will celebrate the holy mass ending the World Youth Day 2016 in Poland. (Photo by Marcin Obara/EPA)