Review and images by Sam; edited by bmathison1972
Growing up, the amazing wildlife of South America have always fascinated me, amazed by their beauty and uniqueness as well as their ecological niches. Recently, to nurture this fascination, I have started a miniature figure collection of South American animals, with a heavy emphasis on Brazil, the world’s most biodiverse country.
Grass has been an incredible influence on the world, and resulted in an incredibly diverse number of animals that could eat it: the grazers. Some of the greatest numbers of these animals come from the plains and savanna of Africa, with this review covering the largest of the antelopes, the giant eland (Taurotragus derbianus).
Review and photos by OkapiBoy
This review will the be the start of my African themed series that I plan to write in the coming months.
When one thinks of wild places and animals, it is almost certain that vision of Africa and its vast herds of animals comes to mind first.
In 1889 fossils of an unusual Mesozoic shark were described. It was named Scapanorhynchus, Greek for “shovel-snout” due to the elongated blade-like snout that jutted out over its face. Nine years later an unusual 42” (107 cm) immature male shark with similar anatomy was caught in Sagami Bay, Japan and formally described as Mitsukurina owstoni, commonly known as the goblin shark in English and the tenguzami in Japanese.
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The most famous, most popular, and most feared shark of them all is unquestionably the great white (Carcharodon carcharias). It has appeared in more films, documentaries, books, comics, cartoons, games, and toy lines than any other shark, and probably any other sea creature for that matter.
Review and photographs by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The green anaconda (also known as the common anaconda, Eunectes murinus) is the world’s heaviest snake, and second only to the reticulated python in length. Females, which grow far larger than males, can be at least 17 feet (5.2 metres) long and weigh 215 lbs (97.5 kg).
Aside from large crocodilians and tortoises, one of the most iconic reptiles of the Americas would be the green iguana (Iguana iguana). Green iguanas are native to South and Central America with invasive populations in parts of North America and the Caribbean. Taxonomy within this species has been controversial, with the current convention being the recognition of tentative subspecies.
In the animal world, vivid colors and intricate designs abound and easily catch our eyes. But one group of animals has managed to turn the simple black and white colors into one of the most recognizable and easily one of the most elegant design the: the zebras.
The zebra’s alternating black and white stripes is so iconic and distinctive, that they are one of the most popular and famous extant animals, in the wild and in captivity.
In keeping with a tradition that I started two years ago I’m reviewing an Irish animal for St. Patrick’s Day. Only this time I decided not to review a wild animal but a domestic one instead. In finding a subject to review I researched what livestock breeds come from the Emerald Isle and although I was able to find some, very few of them had figurines to their name.
Review and images by Harecraft Horses; edited by bmathison1972
This year CollectA have treated horse collectors to several re-releases in a new paintjob. Unlike wildlife collectors, model horse enthusiasts tend not to mind this at all – so many breeds come in more than one colour, and the variation is great for building an extensive herd.
Review and photographs by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
While the Nile crocodile may be the biggest and deadliest predator in Africa’s waterways, it is still no match one on one for an even bigger and arguably more dangerous resident. A creature that rivals a rhinoceros in weight, can outrun a human on land, and boasts an immense mouth full of savage teeth.
The term ‘honeypot’ ant is a common name given to multiple genera of ants that are best known for the replete, or plerergate, members of their caste system. Repletes are sterile works that serve as food reserves for when other food sources are scarce. The repletes hang from the ‘ceiling’ in special chambers of the nest and are gorged with food to the point their abdomens become greatly distended with honey.
Review and photos by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Between its knobbly head, its enormous flippers, and, of course, its noticeably humped back, the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is quite unmistakable. I fondly remember seeing an entire pod of humpbacks on a whale watching trip with my family off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, way back when I was only four or five years old.
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.
Review and images by suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) was one of the largest woodpeckers in the world and certainly the largest to inhabit North America. Tragically, after relentless decades of hunting, pollution, and deforestation, this magnificent bird is largely believed to have gone the way of the thylacine and the quagga.
