A mine detection rat is given banana as a reward after successfully identifying an inactive mine on July 2, 2015 in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) working with the Belgian NGO APOPO has recently begun testing the feasability of using large mine detection rats from Tanzania to help clear fields of mines and unexploded ordnance in one of the most bombed and mined countries in the world. (Photo by Taylor Weidman/Getty Images)

Cemetery overcrowding is an issue that resonates around the world, particularly in its most cramped cities and among religions that forbid or discourage cremation. The reality of relying on finite land resources to cope with the endless stream of the dying has brought about creative solutions... (Photo by Rodrigo Abd/AP Photo)

Dancers attend a dress rehearsal for the new grand show “THE WYLD” at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin October 2, 2014. Ten choreographers are working with 60 dancers from the world's largest show ballet company to create the flamboyant stage spectacle. The show's name, “THE WYLD”, represents human nature in its diversity and the wilderness of the big city – in this case, Berlin. The premiere of the 10.6 million euro ($13.5 million) show, the largest production budget in the 95-year history of Friedrichstadt-Palast, is on October 23, 2014. (Photo by Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters)

When you look at the picture of a furry pig that resembles a sheep from a distance, you may think that this may be the result of the work of some crazy scientist that tinkered with the pig’s genome. However, in this case, this is not true. Mangalica is a natural breed of pigs, which were bred in Europe for their lard. This breed of pigs is very unique, since the only other breed of pigs which had a long coat was Loncolnshire Curly Coat, which is now extinct. In the past, these pigs were quite popular, since they were able to produce a lot of lard. However, when the demand for pig lard dwindled, the population of these pigs rapidly decreased, making it a “rare breed”.

“A Kind of You” is a documentary work of an uncanny asian tradition, where monkeys are trained and dressed to act humanlike in order to ask money from the bypassers. Modern city culture has turned the old tradition in to eerie and haunting act of cruel street theatre where animals become something else, never able to reach our expectations”. – Perttu Saksa. (Photo by Perttu Saksa)

SEE ALSO: «Topeng Monyet: The Masked Monkeys Of Indonesia»

“It doesn’t look like a relaxing swim in the warm waters of the Bahamas. But for Vincent Canabal it is all in a days work when it comes to feeding his favourite a 16-foot long Tiger shark Emma. The 34-year-old qualified doctor has been diving with sharks since he was just. His passion has taken him around the world”. Barcroft Media via The Daily Mirror. Photo: Sharks fed by Vincent Canabal near Tiger Beach. (Photo by Vincent Canabal/Barcroft Media)

In a north London hospital, scientists are growing noses, ears and blood vessels in the laboratory in a bold attempt to make body parts using stem cells. It is among several labs around the world, including in the U.S., that are working on the futuristic idea of growing custom-made organs in the lab. (Photo by Matt Dunham/AP Photo)

Throughout the course of the long war in Afghanistan, Coalition troops have relied on thousands of military working dogs to help keep them safe, and make their jobs easier. The dogs are trained to detect explosives, to find illegal drugs, to search for missing comrades, or target enemy combatants. Not only are they active on the front lines, but behind the lines they serve as therapy dogs, service dogs, and loyal companions. They also share the same risks as the ground troops, suffering injuries and sometimes death on the battlefields. Gathered here are images of these dogs and their handlers in Afghanistan and back home, from over the past several years, part of the ongoing series here on Afghanistan.