“Sokolica”. Sokolica, Poland. (Photo and caption by Marcin Kęsek/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

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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)

Danny McWilliams, 56, is seen at his 36-foot-long replica of Walt Disney movie version of the Nautilus submarine from Jules Verne's “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” at his rural home in Ellijay, Georgia, USA, 04 December 2013. (Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA)

Miss World 2013, Megan Young of the Philippines, poses during a publicity launch near to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in central London November 25, 2014. The final of the 2014 edition of the pageant will take place in London on December 14. (Photo by Toby Melville/Reuters)

A giant Uncle Sam balloon is marched down 6th Avenue during the 87th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, November 28, 2013, in New York. After fears the balloons could be grounded if sustained winds exceeded 23 mph, Snoopy, Spider-Man and the rest of the iconic balloons received the all-clear from the New York Police Department to fly between Manhattan skyscrapers on Thursday. (Photo by John Minchillo/AP Photo)

Undated handout photo issued by Vogue of Zendaya appearing in the May issue British Vogue. Zendaya has spoken of her concerns surrounding her potential future children having to deal with her level of fame and the movie industry becoming “bored” of her. The 27-year-old American actress, known for teen show Euphoria and the Dune films, has been romantically linked to her Spider-Man: Homecoming co-star Tom Holland since 2021. Issue date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Photo by Carlijn Jacobs/British Vogue/PA Wire)

Detail of a sand sculpture of Pirates of the Caribbean is seen as pieces are prepared as part of this year's Hollywood themed annual Weston-super-Mare Sand Sculpture festival on March 26, 2013 in Weston-Super-Mare, England. Due to open on Good Friday, currently twenty award winning sand sculptors from across the globe are working to create sand sculptures including Harry Potter, Marilyn Monroe and characters from the Star Wars films as part of the town's very own movie themed festival on the beach. (Photo by Matt Cardy)

In this Wednesday, November 11, 2015 photo, one of the giant mechanical sharks that starred in the movie “Jaws” is seen at Aadlen Brothers Auto Wrecking, also known as U Pick Parts, in the Sun Valley section of Los Angeles. It's not just a junkyard or even a really big junkyard, but a living, breathing monument to Los Angeles pop culture. But the family business is closing on New Year's Eve, and everything must go by then, the cars, the shark, the arches, even the giant car-crushing machine. (Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)