A dramatic rise in owning exotic pets in China is fuelling global demand for threatened species. The growing trade in alligators, snakes, monkeys, crocodiles and spiders is directly linked to species loss in some of the world’s most threatened ecosystems. Here: A fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) is groomed in a pet store in central Beijing. Native to the Sahara in North Africa, the species became a popular pet after being depicted as a character in Disney’s 2016 animated movie Zootopia. Individuals can cost between $2,000–$3,000. (Photo by Sean Gallagher/The Guardian)

People look at a 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Touring Spider displayed at Sotheby's in New York City, New York, U.S. July 21, 2016. The car, unveiled in a pre-publicity showing in New York on Thursday, is expected to sell for more than US$15 million – and could set a record for the most money ever paid for a pre-war auto at auction. (Photo by Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Yang Juan, an employee at Goopal Group, takes a nap in her seat after lunch, in Beijing, China, April 21, 2016. Office workers sleeping on the job is a common sight in China, where a surplus of cheap labour can lead to downtime at work. But in China's technology sector, where business is growing faster than many start-up firms can hire new staff, workers burn the midnight oil to meet deadlines and compete with their rivals. Some companies provide sleeping areas and beds for workers to rest during late nights. (Photo by Jason Lee/Reuters)

A boat, center, is surrounded by Japan Cost Guard's patrol boats after some activists descended from the boat on Uotsuri Island, one of the islands of Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, in East China Sea Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. Regional tensions flared on the emotional anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender as activists from China and South Korea used Wednesday's occasion to press rival territorial claims, prompting 14 arrests by Japanese authorities. The 14 people had traveled by boat from Hong Kong to the disputed islands controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan. (Photo by Yomiuri Shimbun/Masataka Morita/AP Photo)

A burning flame and a broad expanse of water are among the few things which do not tire us with their beauty. However, while we have many sources of water around us, it is quite hard to marvel at a burning flame on a daily basis. Melissa Crisp is one of the few people who were able to subdue the element of fire. She is the person who is behind the design of the uniquely-shaped fire pits, which feature mystifying themes, including a pair of lovers, a fire on the rodeo arena, a forest fire, a fiery flower, and a number of others. Each of the fire pits entrances you, and it almost seems like the characters are alive, as the hot fire burns deep within the spheres, casting dancing shadows all around. (Photo by Melissa Crisp)

Lilith interacts with spectators in the streets of Toulouse. French street show creator Francois Delaroziere, director of the art company “La Machine”, creates a show in the streets of Toulouse. The new show displays giant characters: Asterion, the Minotaur; Lilith, the scorpion woman; and Ariane, the spider woman. Lilith is fond of the Minotaur and wants to take Asterion to hell with her. Ariane protects Asterion and tries everything to keep Asterion safe. The show is displayed over three days and is attended by dozens of people. During the three days, the giant characters appear in the streets of Toulouse. (Photo by Alain Pitton/NurPhoto)

Afghan militia men stand near to the dead body of a beheaded Islamic State group loyalist in the Achin district of Nangarhar province east of Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, December 27, 2015. An Afghan official says fighters for the Islamic State group and a militia controlled by a prominent lawmaker have beheaded a total of eight men in tit-for-tat revenge killings in the eastern border province of Nangarhar. (Photo by Mohammad Anwar Danishyar/AP Photo)

Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) (R) stands in front of Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) as they arrive for U.S. President George W. Bush's annual State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington in this January 23, 2007 file photo. Hillary Clinton announced her second run for the presidency on April 12, 2015 starting her campaign as the Democrats' best hope of fending off a crowded field of lesser-known Republican rivals and retaining the White House. (Photo by Larry Downing/Reuters)