Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
Kaiyodo is a well known brand in Japan and throughout the world for their often small but highly detailed figures. They do make well known species but where they truly shine is in their unique and obscure species, especially in the Choco Q, Natural Monuments of Japan, Dinotales, and Aquatales lines.
Review and images by Birdsage; edited by bmathison1972
The Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis), also known as the Moluccan Cockatoo, is a species of parrot that is endemic to Seram and several other islands in Indonesia’s Maluku Archipelago. The species resides in lowland rainforests up to an altitude of 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
Review and images by EpicRaptorMan; edited by bmathison1972
When you think of the word “rhinoceros” the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is likely not the first species to come to mind. Unfortunately, that is likely because it is a rare and dwindling species with an estimated scattered population of 80 or less putting them on the “Critically Endangered” list by the IUCN.
Review and images by EpicRaptorMan; edited by bmathison1972
This is one of my favorite shark species, made by CollectA (88614), the leopard shark! Er…wait that isn’t right…my editor is telling me it is actually a zebra shark!? Which dunderhead decided that was a good name? Well, apparently there is quite the fascinating story behind this common name.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Alas, less than five years after its promising debut, the animal toy company known as Southlands Replicas is no more. But while it did exist, it produced many superb renditions of Australian fauna, including the tragically extinct thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus)..
Review and images by EpicRaptorMan; edited by bmathison1972
Behold, the nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), the largest Asian antelope native to much of India. This antelope is a bit of an oddity once described by Elizabeth Cary Mungall in her book “Exotic Animal Field Guide” as a “[…] combination of a horse and a cow with the beard of a turkey and short devil horns.” Which is a fairly accurate description.
Review and images by EpicRaptorMan; edited by bmathison1972
This small dolphin is known from an assortment of common names some of which include: the panda dolphin, skunk dolphin, jacobita, and Commerson’s dolphin, just to name a few. This cetacean was first described in 1767 by the French naturalist Dr. Philibert Commerson while exploring the waters around the southern tip of South America and was scientifically named Cephalorhynchus commersonii in 1804.
Review and images by EpicRaptorMan; edited by bmathison1972
Imagine a white fuzzy seal with big black eyes crying out for food. Now imagine a massive predator with enormous jaws and an appetite to match; this is Hydrurga leptonyx a.k.a. the leopard seal.
Today I chose to review the leopard seal by Papo (56042) and if you couldn’t tell by the intro, the leopard seal is not to be trifled with.
Review and images by EpicRaptorMan; edited by bmathison1972
Does the Looney Tunes Roadrunner say “meep-meep” or “beep-beep“? Well, whatever it says the real roadrunner’s call is more of a “coo coo” which makes sense as they are members of cuckoo family, Cuculidae.
The order sirenia has long been fascinating to me, the main herbivorous marine mammals that have survived throughout the Cenozoic. The one that interests me the most (even inspiring my ATB name Sirenia) is, unfortunately, no longer living, the Steller’s Sea Cow. These giant sirenians lived around Commander Island in the Bering sea, being hunted by locals.
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
The deep ocean is one of the most inhospitable habitats on this planet, and animals have to find extreme ways to adapt or die out. For one, sunlight only goes as low as 1000 m, although any significant light rarely goes to 200 m, which means that there are no plants to photosynthesize and in turn, no plants for herbivores to graze on.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Wolves (Canis lupus) are burdened with an unjustly sinister reputation for a variety of reasons and one is the centuries-old myth of werewolves. One most frightful tale is that of Peter Stubbe, ‘the Werewolf of Bedburg.’ In 1589, he confessed under torture to having received a wolfskin belt from the Devil that allowed him to transform into “the likeness of a greedy, devouring wolf, strong and mighty, with eyes great and large, which in the night sparkled like fire, a mouth great and wide, with most sharp and cruel teeth, a huge body, and mighty paws.” I will not go on to describe the many horrific crimes Stubbe committed, or the equally horrific punishment that was meted out to him on October 31, but suffice it to say, you shouldn’t read the entire story if you’re squeamish.
