Review and images by Animal Lover, edited by bmathison1972
The alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated breed of South-American camel-like ungulates. It resembles a sheep in appearance, but is larger and has a long, erect neck. Alpacas have been domesticated for thousands of years until modern times in Peru, most famously because of its prized wool. They are social herd animals, living at an altitude of 3500 to 5000 meters above sea-level, throughout the year on the South American mountain ranges. There are no wild alpacas; they were bred down in domesticated form from the vicuña, also native to South America. There are two types of alpaca; Huacaya (with dense, crimpy sheep-like fiber) and Suri (with silky dreadlocks). The adult alpaca and baby from Playmobil, at which we’re taking a look at today, represent the Huacaya type.
Playmobil is well-known for its wide range of figures and accessories that come in playsets. A wide range of accessories, buildings and vehicles, as well as many sorts of animals (dinosaurs, fantastical (dragons), and other animals) and human characters form part of the Playmobil line. Back to our review. The adult alpaca and the baby are the only contents that you get when buying them; there are no additional accessories in this set. The adult alpaca comes in another set however, (not with the baby this time) with a zookeeper and some food.
The adult measures 6 cm in height and 4 cm in length and the baby measures 4.5 cm in height and 3 cm in length. Playmobil’s figures are known for their child-friendliness; because of the articulations that they offer and their simple look. The adult alpaca and its baby here are no exception. As said earlier, they represent the Huacaya type of alpaca with sheep-like wool, as seen here. Concerning the articulations (my favorite feature with Playmobil’s figures), the neck and legs are moveable in the adult and in the baby, only the neck is moveable. You can pose the adult as if it’s running, climbing a mountain or grazing; the choice is yours and in the baby, only the neck is moveable so it can only be posed as if it’s grazing or looking up.
Overall, it is a nice set. As said earlier, Playmobil’s figures combine articulation and simplicity, making them fun and child-friendly. These two alpacas are very cute, especially the baby. If you are an adult collector who is a child in the mind or a completist collector or if you like animals and collect figures no matter their appearance and price then Playmobil’s figures are made for you; though I would not recommend them to those who are seeking realistic animal models. If you have a child/children who like animals, then they are made 100% for them as Playmobil’s figures are mostly geared towards children. Unfortunately, Playmobil’s toys have two disadvantages; they are pricey and they are not recommended to too young children (babies/children under 3 years old) as their sets contain small parts and present a choking hazard. If you are searching for a good deal, then I would not recommend a physical toy store. Try your luck online. And concerning safety issues with children, I would recommend Playmobil’s toys to a child of at least 6 years old, but still I would recommend parent supervision also. Playmobil’s toys are easily available at your typical toy store or through online shops like Amazon, eBay, among others.