The Galápagos Islands are an incredible biome, full of an array of different species, perfectly adapted for their environment. This resulted in Charles Darwin developing his theories of evolution. It also resulted in a lot of damaged to this ecosystem, as the animals were decimated by the introduction of European animals and hunters.
Brand: Papo
Gharial (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.3 (9 votes)
I have a keen love of crocodilians. They are fascinating, from their looks to their anatomy, and look very prehistoric. While many seem fairly similar, their are some interesting variants with this, such as this one: the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), a fish eating crocodilian from India and China.
Giant Anteater (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.7 (7 votes)
Review and images by Lanthanotus; edited by bmathison1972
Amongst the mammals the typical human is familiar with, the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) holds a firm place. It is just so different from the rest of its class, that even young kids usually know it. While few zoos keep this strange animal for its not-so-easily-satisfied diet, its popularity is held up by its frequent appearance in books, media, and as toys.
Grasshopper (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.5 (2 votes)
Today I am continuing my review of the 2020 Papo invertebrates with their grasshopper figure. First, we should discuss the possible identity of the species. Given the shape (especially head shape), color, and that France-based Papo likes to focus on its local fauna, I am identifying the figure as the common green grasshopper, Omocestus viridulus.
Gray Wolf (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.5 (6 votes)
Rounding out my spooky animal reviews for October it’s time to look at one of the many renditions of the gray wolf (Canis lupis), an animal whose history is intricately woven into our own like few other animals. For much of human history, the wolf would have been a competitor and potential predator of humans.
Green-and-black Poison Dart Frog (Wild Animals by Papo)
5 (3 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
While toads have long been associated with witchcraft and the occult due to their unpleasing appearances (to some) and the toxins they excrete from their backs, they have nothing on the poison dart frogs of Central and South America in terms of lethality.
Grey Heron (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.8 (4 votes)
Review and images by Lanthanotus; edited by bmathison1972
If you ever have the chance and time to observe a heron on the hunt, take a moment (or half an hour) to watch this so common and at once so awesome creature. While some groups of animals have incorporated the combination of freezing, glacial movement, and sudden strikes into their hunting techniques, herons have somewhat perfected this strategy.
Griffon Vulture (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.3 (12 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
I’ve always been rather fond of vultures due to their large size, intimidating appearance, and the crucial role they play in consuming carrion. The Eurasian griffon (Gyps fulvus) is a very typical Old World vulture with quite a large population in Spain and much smaller populations scattered across the rest of Europe.
Grove Snail (Wild Animals by Papo)
5 (3 votes)
Cepaea nemoralis is a common and familiar species of land snail. It goes by several common names, including brown-lipped snail, grove snail, and lemon snail. It occurs throughout much of Europe, north to Sweden and east to Ukraine, including the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. It has also been introduced to North America (Northeast and Pacific Northwest) and Venezuela.
Highland Cattle (Farm Life by Papo)
4.3 (3 votes)
I really like cattle breeds. Even before I started a ‘synoptic’ collection, I liked toys and replicas of different cattle breeds. While the non-arthropod section of my collection is generally synoptic, I plan on investing in various cattle breeds. I do not want to get overwhelmed by going back and buying all the breeds I missed; instead, I will buy new ones as they are released or as opportunity comes along (findings at stores, museums, zoos).
Honey Bee (Wild Animals by Papo)
4 (2 votes)
The honey bee. Apis mellifera. Probably the most iconic insect in human history. Surprisingly, not commonly made in toy form, at least not at the species level by manufacturers of collectible animal models (almost every ‘bin-style’ set of toy bugs has a generic bee, however). Also, when bees are made, they are rarely super accurate models; I suppose it is because it is such a familiar animal, it is easily recognizable with minimal effort (sort of like an elephant; it doesn’t have to be a good elephant, but a smooth, gray mammal with a trunk, pair of tusks, and big floppy ears will be immediately recognizable as an elephant).
Horned Lizard (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.3 (3 votes)
Review of the Texas horned lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum, by Papo, new for 2019 (just got it in the mail just today!). The figure is not marketed at the species level but is a good representation of P. cornutum (more on the morphology below). I was hesitant to buy this figure, mainly because I thought it would be too big compared to other small lizards in my Synoptic Collection.