Author: Guest Reviews

Reviews submitted by Animal Toy Blog readers are published under the author 'Guest Reviews'. If you would like to submit a review please follow the directions on our 'Submit a review' page.

All reviews by this author

Honey Badger (Wild Safari Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)

5 (2 votes)

Review and images by Kikimalou; edited by bmathison1972

The honey badger, or ratel, (Mellivora capensis) is a Mustelidae widely distributed in Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. The animal has a fairly long but strong body, with short, sturdy legs equipped with impressive claws. It is perfectly equipped to resist fights with its fellow creatures and predators alike.

Spotted Seal (Marine Life by Papo)

5 (5 votes)

Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972

Phoca largha, most commonly known as the spotted or largha seal, is a species of earless seal inhabiting the waters of the Northern Pacific from Alaska to the Yellow Sea. It is sometimes mistaken for the closely-related harbor seal (P.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Wings of the World by Safari Ltd.)

5 (6 votes)

Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972

The sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) of Australasia is nearly as iconic a parrot as the macaws of South America. It is also one of the smartest and longest living of all birds, with some captive individuals lasting well into their 70s, and a few even surpassing 100 years.

Velvet Worm (littlebigwomen)

4 (4 votes)

Review and images by stemturtle; edited by bmathison1972

The release of a figure that represents a neglected phylum is a wish come true for the synoptic collector. A velvet worm, also referred to as a peripatus (when unitalicized), belongs to phylum Onychophora. It resembles a caterpillar with antennae, having 13 to 43 pairs of stubby legs, corresponding to body segmentation.

Bonobo, female (Wild Life Africa by Schleich)

5 (4 votes)

Review and images by stemturtle; edited by bmathison1972

Schleich released a lovely bonobo, Pan paniscus (Schleich Wild Life #14875), in 2024. This review will compare the figure to the chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes, instead of describing it in great detail. A former name, pygmy chimpanzee, was a mistake, since the bonobo is a separate species from the chimp.

Alpine Ibex, 2024 (Wild Life Europe by Schleich)

4.6 (5 votes)

Review and images by Kikimalou; edited by bmathison1972

What about the new Alpine ibex proposed by Schleich for 2024?

The real Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) is a stocky animal with sturdy legs and a short, broad muzzle. The coat is dull and brownish over most of the body, lighter on the belly, with darker markings on the chin and throat.

Tiger Shark (Sea Life by Schleich)

4.2 (5 votes)

Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972

To close out my Schleich figure reviews, I would be looking into their tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier). They are the largest of of the requiem sharks, averaging 400-550 cm from snout to the tip of the caudal fin. They are found in tropical and temperature waters and are characterized by their squarish snouts and stripes on their body, which give them their name.

Malayan Tapir (Wildlife by CollectA)

4.7 (6 votes)

Review and images by caipirasuchus; edited by bmathison1972

Tapirs (family Tapiridae) are cool. Their curious proboscis, big size, and somewhat prehistoric appearance made them very charismatic creatures. It’s not surprising that tapirs are very common in pop culture, at zoos, and as toys. What’s surprising is that nobody reviewed this animal here in ATB until now.

Saltwater Fish (Mini-verse Mini Lifestyle by MGA)

4.5 (4 votes)

Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972

I always have a love-hate relationship to blind bag/box figures. On one hand it’s thrilling to try to get what you want, but if you’re on a budget, it can be a nightmare especially if the figure you want isn’t appearing despite spending a lot of money.

Killer Whale, 2019 (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)

5 (5 votes)

Review and images by caipirasuchus; edited by bmathison1972

Orcas (I prefer this term over killer whales), Orcinus orca, don’t need an introduction. One of the most popular marine creatures, it is also a very common species in the toy market. It’s not difficult to see why: big, beautiful, and presenting one of the most unique and striking color patterns in the animal world, orcas are everyone’s favorite.

Great Hammerhead Shark, 2020 (Sea Life by Schleich)

4.8 (5 votes)

Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972

The great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) is the largest of all hammerhead sharks, attaining lengths of 400-600 cm in the largest specimens, though they mostly average smaller. Outside of their great size, their most distinctive features are their cephalofoils being relatively smooth, tail fin, and tall dorsal fin, which can get up to 180 cm in the largest and most extreme cases, although it is rare nowadays.

Tiger, Standing Adult and Cub (Wild Animals by Papo)

4.6 (7 votes)

Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972

The charismatic Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is the nominate tiger species and probably the one that most people envision in their minds when you mention tigers to them. Native to the Indian subcontinent, it rivals the Siberian tiger for the title of world’s biggest living cat.

Indian Crested Porcupine (Wildlife by CollectA)

4.8 (9 votes)

Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972

As its name suggests, the Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) is an Old World porcupine that ranges across most of India as well as much of the Middle East. And like most porcupines, it is covered in a formidable coat of quills for defense against predators.

Elephant Shark (Art in the Pocket – Sunshine Aquarium by Kitan Club)

4 (4 votes)

Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972

Holocephali was once a diverse group of fish, emerging in the Devonian and lasting until the present. They were once more diverse, occupying a lot more niches, including apex predators, but modern members are mostly restricted to the deep sea. Eugeneodontids are one of the more well known group amongst general audiences, as it includes the famous Heliocoprion and related genera like Edestus, which in many depictions are shown to have a shark-like body plan despite only being distantly related.

Maned Wolf (Wildlife by CollectA)

4.8 (8 votes)

Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972

The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest wild dog on the South American continent and with its very fox-like head and coloration, and long, spindly limbs, easily one of the weirdest-looking members of the entire dog family.

Released in 2013, the CollectA maned wolf is sculpted in a walking stance with its head turned to look to the right, its right front paw extended forward, and its left hind paw raised very slightly off the ground.

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