Asian Elephant, cow 2012 (Wild Life by Schleich)

This review makes a good companion to the first one I submitted, which is essentially a plush version of this plastic figure. An Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) female, with the classic smiling mouth, double-domed head, and convex curve to the back. I believe this is the second version of the Schleich female Asian elephant of three that I am aware of. There does not appear to be a year om the toy; however, the model number is 14654 and sellers seem to be listing it as a 2012 figure. There is a predecessor from the 1990s that is a darker gray as well as a current one that I believe is a bit smaller. I think this one is the best of the three, though the 1990s one is nice too.

I honestly see nothing significant to reasonably complain about in this figure other than that the body seems a bit long, but that is because the figure is sculpted in a turning position which accents the neck and shoulders. She sports no visible tusks, which is accurate since this is marketed as a female Asian elephant (although the sockets where tusks or tushes would grow from are shown). The ears are the correct shape, which some people have likened to the shape of the Indian subcontinent, showing visible folds and ripples. The right ear is connected to the neck and shoulder. Her eyes are beautifully painted a reflective black that makes them look alive, the contours of the mouth give the trademark Asian elephant smile to her face, and the two hemispherical protrusions on the cranium are very visible. A slight ridge even runs along the convex back, which gives a nice detail of the spine. The skin is finely textured with wrinkles, though not as deep ones as on an African elephant. Deeper wrinkles are shown around where the legs attach to the body, and the number of the toenails is even correct, with five on the front feet and four on the back feet. The tail is attached to one of the back legs at its end. Musculature on the legs is nicely sculpted, and you can even see folds of skin around the shoulders. Her trunk hangs down and curls up at the end, showing a flattened lower end at the tip and a long finger on the upper end. If you turn her over and look at the belly, hints of mammary glands even show on the chest. The tail has the classic elephant bristles on its end.

I studied a number of Asian elephant figures before picking this one, because I honestly think it’s the best of the ones out there and I like the coloring, although Safari and Mojo also make very good ones. This figure may be retired but should not be hard to find as it is fairly recent.