“Cassowaries are large, flightless birds related to emus and (more distantly) to ostriches, rheas, and kiwis”, writes Olivia Judson in the September issue of National Geographic magazine. How large? People-size: Adult males stand well over five foot five and top 110 pounds. Females are even taller, and can weigh more than 160 pounds. Dangerous when roused, they’re shy and peaceable when left alone. But even birds this big and tough are prey to habitat loss. The dense New Guinea and Australia rain forests where they live have dwindled. Today cassowaries might number 1,500 to 2,000. And because they help shape those same forests – by moving seeds from one place to another – “if they vanish”, Judson writes, “the structure of the forest would gradually change” too. (Photo by Christian Ziegler/National Geographic)

People walk through crop circles in a cornfield near Raisting, Germany, on July 28, 2014. According to media reports, a balloonist had discovered the circle some days ago. Since then, hundreds of people came to the field to watch it, however it is unclear who did create the pattern. (Photo by Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/DPA)

Iranian demonstrators burn an Israeli flag during a rally marking al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day in Tehran July 10, 2015. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer/TIMA)

In this April 28, 2015 file photo, heads of tuna on a cart are carried by a fish dealer after the day's auction at Tsukiji Wholesale Market in Tokyo. In one of the biggest of Japan's many New Year holiday rituals, early on Tuesday, January 5, 2016, Tokyo's Tsukiji market will auction off with much fanfare a huge, glistening tuna, likely destined for one of the big sushi chains. If all goes as planned, it will be the last such auction at 80-year-old Tsukiji. (Photo by Shuji Kajiyama/AP Photo)

This file photo provided on Sunday February 15, 2015 by the Syrian anti-government activist group Aleppo Media Center (AMC), which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows Syrian rebels firing locally made shells against the Syrian government forces, in Aleppo, Syria. (Photo by AP Photo/Aleppo Media Center)

Rabbits have been kept as pets in Western nations since the 19th century. Rabbits kept indoors with proper care have a lifespan between 9 to 12 years. Rabbits are social animals. Rabbits as pets can find their companionship with a variety of creatures, including humans, other rabbits, guinea pigs, and sometimes even cats and dogs. Domestic rabbits that do not live indoors can also often serve as companions for their owners, typically living in an easily accessible hutch outside the home.

Photo by: jpockele; Source: Flickr

Kevin and Merith Starren have their picture taken by Merith's brother Mark Ernst (R) and nephew Logan Ernst (L) in front of a 50-foot snowman named “Granddaddy” in Gilman, Minnesota, March 6, 2014. (Photo by Eric Miller/Reuters)