Safari Ltd - New for 2020

[bmathison1972]

The list is out, so I will post it here. I will add pics as they become public:

Best in Show:
Great Dane



Safari Farm:
Watusi bull



Good Luck Minis:
Day gecko (2 colors)



Hedgehog



Variety pack: Predators



Life Cycles:
Salmon



Spider



Incredible Creatures:
Bushbaby



Catfish (not sure which species)



Stingray (not sure which species)



Sugar glider



Sea Life:
Atlantic white-sided dolphin



Sand tiger shark



Wings of the World:
Eurasian eagle-owl



Wild Safari Wildlife:
Gray wolf



Lion cub



Matschie's tree kangaroo



Warthog



North American Wildlife
Striped Skunk



Long-tailed Weasel


Wildlife Wonders:
Red fox



Red panda



Prehistoric Life (already shown on DTF):
Pachycephalosaurus



Qianzhousaurus



Deinonychus



Concavenator



Shringasaurus



Edmontosaurus



Ichthyosaurus



Dilophosaurus




TOOBS
Great Lakes: little brown bat, dragonfly, lake sturgeon, great blue heron, Lake Erie water snake, common mudpuppy, Canada goose, Canada lynx, American herring gull, yellow perch



South African Animals: zebra, lion, lioness, spotted hyena, white rhino, Cape baboon, Cape buffalo, African elephant, giraffe

[Badger]

For anyone who wants pictures, they can be found here: https://partners.safariltd.com/what-s-new

[bmathison1972]

For anyone who wants pictures, they can be found here: https://partners.safariltd.com/what-s-new

Thanks Badger. I have them also and will post them to the thread this afternoon/evening.

[bmathison1972]

OK, images are up. Here are my thoughts:

The ones I would like to get:

1. Great Lakes TOOB. I am probably MOST excited for this! The dragonfly, Lake Erie water snake, American herring gull, common mudpuppy, little brown bat, and yellow perch will definately be retained. The Canada goose and lake sturgeon may or may not displace the examples I have of these species, I will have to see how they compare in size. I will probably keep the great blue heron, since it's one of my favorite birds, although I fear it may be a bit small. The only figure from this TOOB I probably will not retain is the Canada lynx, since I am satisfied with the NAW version by Safari.

2. long-tailed weasel. I really like this figure but the biggest factor will be size. If it's too big, I may pass. Given the large size of the 2019 honey badger and mandrill, I am cautious about sizes.

3. Striped skunk. I predicted Safari would be releasing a skunk soon - it has been a while. I have the CollectA skunk in my wishlist, but will get this Safari one, again, if it's not too big.

4. Eurasian eagle-owl. This is a given. Any new species in Wings of the World will be acquired. This will be my third species of Bubo. If I keep getting bubos, someone will think I have a Yersinia pestis infection...

5. Matschie's tree kangaroo - this one is another given; again hope it's not too big.

6. Life cycle of a spider. Uggh, just not sure. As an entomologist, I feel compelled to get this, but honestly it doesn't look good. The young hatchlings are piled on an orb web, but the adult looks nothing like a species that makes an orb web. This would have made a great life cycle for a wolf spider had they not put the younglings on that web...This LC could have been so much better!

7. Sand tiger shark. New shark species by Safari? Check!

I may get these:

1. Wolf. I see no need to replace the wolf I have. They only way I may consider this, is if it can be documented this is a Eurasian subspecies. It is in the general Wildlife line, so maybe it's not a North American subspecies?!? The promo pic shows a nice paint, but the pose is very stiff. Wolf figures are usually more dynamic; this one looks more like a taxidermied museum specimen!

2. Shingasaurus. The only prehistoric reptiles I was thinking of getting are the therapsids (maybe other synapsids). But this one is really cool so I might venture out a little.

I will not get these:

1. Watusi bull - I have the CollectA one, and now way it will get replaced by this one.

2. Great Dane - I don't collect domestic dog breeds

3. Salmon life cycle - I only collect invertebrate life cycles (for now)

4. Atlantic white-sided dolphin - I have the TOOB version which I prefer (for my whales, I prefer standard-sized whales and TOOB-sized dolphins)

5. Lion cub - I don't collect baby animals. If I ever do, I will probably get a Papo cub since my lion and lioness are by Papo

6. Warthog. I KNEW either Safari or CollectA would release a warthog this year. This figure is very nice, but no reason to replace the PNSO one I have.

7. Wildlife Wonders and Good Luck Minis - I don't collect figures from these lines. The former are too big, and the latter too small, LOL.

8. Incredible Creatures - for these taxa, these are all too big. I would love them in standard/TOOB-sized forms.

9. Prehistoric Life - none of these (except for maybe the Shringasaurus, above) are taxa I currently collect.

10. South Africa TOOB - nice but all too small for the taxa they represent.

[stargatedalek]

When I first read the list I wasn't super impressed until I got to the Great Lakes set, on seeing it I'm absolutely blown away! I expected the lynx and dragonfly to be reused sculpts, but all of them are new. I'm not one for bases (mostly because they seem almost mandatory for birds) but these quite unobtrusive. I will almost certainly get several of these sets.

The "day gecko" is a bit disappointing, they look more like generic Tokay geckos but the colours are all wrong (they don't even match any domestic morphs). And given how averse good luck minis are to painting I'm not sure there is much I can really do for these.

Salmon life cycle caught me off guard, it's spectacular. Spider one is decent too though I might wait on it.

Catfish looks like a brown bullhead to me, which makes sense as a pick since it's a popular enough sportfish.

Sugar glider is cute, it's 1:1 or close so I'll get it.

[Advicot]

I'm quite unimpressed with Safari this year. Their figures are nothing too special but I may try and get hold of the Pacific White Sided Dolphin, the sand tiger shark, tree kangaroo and weasel.

[sphyrna18]

I'm quite unimpressed with Safari this year. Their figures are nothing too special but I may try and get hold of the Pacific White Sided Dolphin, the sand tiger shark, tree kangaroo and weasel.

Atlantic White-sided Dolphin.  Different species.... not sure whether that matters to you or not, but it is definitely worth noting in case you are specifically looking for a Pacific White-sided Dolphin.

[bmathison1972]

I have changed my thoughts on two. I think I will get the wolf, as I can use it to represent the type subspecies, the European wolf C. lupus lupus. However I do not think I will get the skunk. After some snooping around I think the CollectA one has a better paint application (notable, the white stripe on the head is separated from the start of the white stripe on the top of the head). Also, the sculpting of the CollectA one seems to have more detail in the fur.

[sphyrna18]

I am looking at the Great Lakes TOOB Dragonfly - I believe it represents the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana), which is the notable because it is one of the first (and only) insects listed as an Endangered Species.  The figure's emerald green eyes, black body, and brownish wing venation all point to it being Hine's Emerald Dragonfly!! That makes the TOOB even more exciting, I think

[bmathison1972]

I am looking at the Great Lakes TOOB Dragonfly - I believe it represents the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana), which is the notable because it is one of the first (and only) insects listed as an Endangered Species.  The figure's emerald green eyes, black body, and brownish wing venation all point to it being Hine's Emerald Dragonfly!! That makes the TOOB even more exciting, I think

That makes sense, esp since it's endemic to the Great Lakes. I'll look into it once you get me a TOOB! Er, I mean, once I get a TOOB ;-) LOL

[sphyrna18]

I am looking at the Great Lakes TOOB Dragonfly - I believe it represents the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana), which is the notable because it is one of the first (and only) insects listed as an Endangered Species.  The figure's emerald green eyes, black body, and brownish wing venation all point to it being Hine's Emerald Dragonfly!! That makes the TOOB even more exciting, I think

That makes sense, esp since it's endemic to the Great Lakes. I'll look into it once you get me a TOOB! Er, I mean, once I get a TOOB ;-) LOL

Haha - They will be in stock later today!

[OkapiBoy]

Hmmmm,nothing really that exciting for me on the extant lineup for next year, what happened? Except for a few interesting ones, mainly the fish, but even t hen I don't collect large size anymore.
Is it just me, or the paint applications all looks sloppy?

[Advicot]

I didn't mean to put Pacific White-Sided Dolphin. I just have one in my collection so I mistakenly put Pacific.

[Stuckasaurus]

OOooh, I'd get the Great Lakes Toob just for that Sturgeon! Glad to finally see a female lion and a hyena in a Toob set... I may get that one as well.

[Stuckasaurus]

Oh, also, any idea what the dimensions and scale are for the Sand Tiger Shark?

[Advicot]

When I look at the list of the figures, I'm surprised Safari didn't  go all the more unusual species like 2019. There were some great figures they released this year, and 2020 makes me disappointed just like Schleichs not needed hyena attack.

[Stuckasaurus]

Oh, also, any idea what the dimensions and scale are for the Sand Tiger Shark?

Repeating my question in case anybody knows.

[bmathison1972]

Oh, also, any idea what the dimensions and scale are for the Sand Tiger Shark?

Repeating my question in case anybody knows.

Sorry, I missed your inquiry the first time around. No, this one hasn't been released yet. Safari usually releases there stuff before the New Year, so maybe soon. I plan on getting this model too. Given their recent releases of sharks, I would assume the measurements would be similar. Safari is not one for consistent scales, however.

[Advicot]

Safari have released quite a few exotic cattle breeds, first it was the Brahman, then the Ongole and now an awful Ankole Watusi. I have quite a soft spot for exotic cattle breeds as I have 3 Zebu, 3 Brahman, 3 Ankole Watusi and one Ongole, but this new Ankole is horrific. No one can beat the CollectA trio. 

[bmathison1972]

Safari have released quite a few exotic cattle breeds, first it was the Brahman, then the Ongole and now an awful Ankole Watusi. I have quite a soft spot for exotic cattle breeds as I have 3 Zebu, 3 Brahman, 3 Ankole Watusi and one Ongole, but this new Ankole is horrific. No one can beat the CollectA trio. 

I also really love exotic cattle. Will invest in more of them next year. I really like the Safari Ongole, but when it comes to cattle breeds, it is hard to beat CollectA