Author: Gwangi

My name is Arthur but I go by Gwangi on the blogs and forums, as homage to the old dinosaur and monster movies I love so much. In addition to writing about and collecting toy animals (extinct and extant) I also share my home with a variety of living animals, mostly reptiles but a little bit of everything. I have a lifelong interest in all things pertaining to nature and natural history and most of my hobbies can be linked to those things in some way. I currently live in Maryland with my wife and daughter. In addition to writing on here I also write magazine articles, typically about local wildlife and aquarium fishes.

All reviews by this author


Elephant Seal (Mojö Sealife by Mojö Fun)

4.6 (16 votes)

Also known as sea elephants, the seals of the genus Mirounga are the largest pinnipeds in the world. Two species have been described. The northern elephant seal (M. angustirostris) and the southern elephant seal (M. leonina). Northerns live in the eastern Pacific Ocean, in the northern hemisphere.

Mahi-Mahi (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)

4.9 (8 votes)

The mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) is a highly sought after species of sportfish belonging to the Coryphaenidae family along with one other species. They’re prized recreationally and commercially for their size, beauty, and mild sweet flavor. They’re also abundant within their range and listed as least concern by the IUCN.

North Atlantic Right Whale, 2025 (Wildlife by Schleich)

5 (8 votes)

Before we begin the review, I would like to extend my gratitude towards Happy Hen Toys for sending this figure along as a review sample. Check out their large selection of animal and dinosaur figures by clicking the banner below.

Right whales of the genus Eubalaena are large, robust baleen whales that were heavily hunted by whalers for their high blubber content (up to 40% of their body weight).

Texas Longhorn Cattle, Bull (Farm World by Schleich)

5 (7 votes)

An icon of the American west, the Texas longhorn traces its origins to cattle brought to the Americas from the Iberian Peninsula by Spanish conquistadors. In Texas, some of these criollo cattle went feral and over several generations adapted to the harsh dry climate of the American southwest. When American settlers spread westward, they brought European cattle breeds that, by themselves, failed to thrive, but when crossed with the criollo cattle did exceptionally well.

Angus Cattle, Cow (Safari Farm by Safari Ltd.)

5 (4 votes)

Angus cattle are a breed of beef cattle regarded as having some of the highest quality beef available. If you’ve ever perused the beef aisles at the supermarket you’ve no doubt noticed that when a cut of beef comes from Angus cattle, it is marketed as such. It is one of the few types of beef where the breed it comes from is acknowledged and used to advertise the product.

Giant Panda, 2014 (Wild Safari Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)

5 (4 votes)

Everyone’s favorite herbivorous carnivoran, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is also the most herbivorous species of carnivoran, with over 60 species of bamboo making up over 99% of its diet. The giant panda lives across six mountain ranges located in China, a sliver of its former range which once extended into southwest China, Myanmar, and north Vietnam.

Sun Bear (Mojö Woodland by Mojö Fun)

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5 (6 votes)

The sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) is the only member of its genus, the world’s smallest bear, the world’s most arboreally adapted bear, and the only bear that specializes in myrmecophagy (consumption of ants and termites). Features like their strong arms, inwardly turned forepaws, and flattened chest aid them in their arboreal lifestyle.

Red-eared Slider (Wild Animals by Papo)

5 (13 votes)

In 1992 the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were at the height of their popularity and like many young boys of my generation, I was obsessed! To the point where my vast toy collection wasn’t enough. I wanted a real turtle, and shockingly enough my mother obliged me. He was a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), a sub-species of the pond slider native to the mid-western United States, around the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

Stoat (Mojö Woodland by Mojö Fun)

4.8 (12 votes)

Also known as the short-tailed weasel and ermine, the stoat (Mustela erminea) has a circumpolar distribution around the northern half of the northern hemisphere in North America and Eurasia. The stoat was also introduced to New Zealand to control rabbit populations but has been wreaking havoc on New Zealand’s bird population.

Harbor Seal, 2018 (Arctic & Antarctic Wildlife by Schleich)

5 (7 votes)

In Celtic mythology there exists a creature known as a selkie, a shapeshifting being that takes on the form of a seal when in the water but can transform into a human by removing its sealskin on land. Selkie stories often involve a romantic relationship between a human male and female selkie wherein the human hides her sealskin so she cannot return to the sea, forcing her into marriage but resulting in an unhappy life for the selkie.

Polar Bear (Wild Animals by Papo)

5 (8 votes)

Paradoxically, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is both the world’s largest terrestrial carnivore and a marine mammal. They get their marine mammal designation because they live on water, albeit in the form of ice. Yes, that makes it a bit of a stretch to call it a marine mammal, but the polar bear is quite capable in liquid water as well.

Sailfish (Marine Life by Papo)

4.6 (10 votes)

With alleged speeds of up to 68 mph the sailfish is said to be the fastest animal in the sea. However, recent studies suggest a maximum speed of only 34 mph. That’s still fast for an aquatic animal though, matching other ocean speedsters like the mako shark and killer whale. And with its tall, sail-like dorsal fin, it is one of the sea’s most visually distinct and impressive fishes.

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