Two rescued pangolins sit in a basket during a news conference in Bangkok on June 7, 2012. Thai customs rescued 110 pangolins worth about $35,500 that they say were to be sold outside the country as exotic food. The animals, hidden in a pickup truck, were seized at a customs checkpoint in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, south of Bangkok. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/Associated Press)

A woman in a maid costume serves customers the Maid Coffee Shop in the Akihabara District October 23, 2005 in Tokyo, Japan. The Akihabara District is known as the world's biggest electrical appliance and equipment town, but recently this area has also became famous for having many shops delivering products and healing services by employees in the costume of maids and animation characters. Some popular shops include coffee, hair salon and massage shops where females deliver services dressed as maids. (Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)

Tippi aged 6 sitting on the back of Linda, a tamed ostrich in South Africa, 1996. Incredible pictures of the real life Mowgli, a girl who spent the first ten years of her life growing up in the African bush, have been released for the first time. The magical images chronicle the life of Tippi Benjamine Okanti Degré, who was brought up with wild animals, just like Rudyard Kipling's hero did in The Jungle Book. (Photo by Sylvie Robert/Barcroft Media)

Gorillas sit next to a ruler during a photocall for the annual weigh-in at London Zoo in London, Britain August 24, 2017. During the weigh-in, animals across the zoo have their vital statistics recorded including their height and weight and the information is then shared with zoos across the world to help zookeepers compare important information on thousands of endangered species. (Photo by Neil Hall/Reuters)

These “snapcats” have found their bunny doppelgängers in a series of sweet photo shoots. Animal photographer Mark Taylor, from Surrey, England, and his assistants have scoured the U.K. to bring together carbon-copy rabbits and cats. Here: Chocolate Birman-cross kitten with chocolate Lop rabbit. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Warren Photographic/Caters News Agency)

In this Saturday, December 30, 2017, picture a girl wearing a bear fur costume takes part in an annual bear parade in Comanesti, Romania. It's a tradition that originated in pre-Christian times, when dancers wearing colored costumes or animal furs went from house to house in villages, singing and dancing to ward off evil. (Photo by Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and these striking images of 2017 are no exception. The photo highlights include incredible snapshots of the natural world as well as some awesome animal and human encounters. The vibrant gallery also shows thrill-seekers pushing themselves to the limit with breathtaking stunts captured in perfect clarity. The pictures have been taken by a host of photographers from around the world. Here: The two lion cubs singing their hearts out at Antelope park in Zimbabwe. (Photo by David Jenkins/Caters News Agency)

A humane society have drafted in Star Wars characters to help find adoptable animals new homes. The Ottawa Humane Society in Ontario, Canada, used the recognisable cosplay figures to adorably interact with the likes of dogs, cats and guinea pigs. Photographed by Rohit Saxena, the series featured a stormtrooper, a Tusken Raider and Garindan. Those photographed were members of the 501st Capital City Garrison, a Star Wars costuming group in Eastern Ontario. Here: a Tusken Raider with a cat. (Photo by Rohit Saxena/Caters News)