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)

A wolverine is pictured during its first public appearance at the Animal Park of Sainte-Croix in Rhodes, eastern France on January 28, 2016. (Photo by Frederick Florin/AFP Photo)

A man paddles a makeshift boat along a flooded street in Guasdualito, in the state of Apure, Venezuela, July 4, 2015. A total of 9,000 families have been affected by the overflowing of rivers Arauca and Sarare in Guasdualito, Apure state, because of the heavy rains in recent days in this area of the country, local media reported. (Photo by Carlos Eduardo Ramirez/Reuters)

Tsunami, an eleven year old female Sumatran Orangutan eats a fruit platter during her birthday celebration at the National Zoo Ape Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, December 31, 2015. (Photo by Manan Vatsyayana/AFP Photo)

Emily Hicks (not pictured) of Charleston holds her dog Murphy along the waterfront ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Charleston, South Carolina, U.S., September 4, 2019. (Photo by Randall Hill/Reuters)

Visitors are seen with giraffes on a bus at Safari Park in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand, January 19, 2020. Kanchanaburi in western Thailand an area known for its waterfalls and caves. (Photo by Rachen Sageamsak/Xinhua News Agency/Eyevine)

Human Connection Award: People and Planet Ocean – Winner – Steve Woods. A free diver interacts with a sperm whale among a cloud of sargassum weed, Dominica. (Photo by Steve Woods/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022)

4-year-old Benji, making waves at Arpoador Beach in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil on December 12, 2024. The Jack Russell Terrier who began catching waves one year ago, has become a fixture along Rio's iconic Ipanema Beach. His skills not only impress fellow surfers but also delights beachgoers, who often pause to admire the bond between man and dog riding the surf. (Photo by Bob Karp/ZUMA Press Wire)