Brand: Safari Ltd.

Loach Minnow (Marsh Education by Safari Ltd.)

5 (4 votes)

I promise I will eventually not write about a fish…but today will not be that day. Instead, I’m going to write about a really interesting fish, and a really unusual–and rare–figure produced to represent it (spoiler, it’s in the title!). I am speaking of course about the Safari Ltd Loach Minnow, produced for Marsh & Associates LLC (as part of their Marsh Education program).

Maine Lobster (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)

5 (3 votes)

Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972

Homarus americanus, better known as the American, Canadian, Atlantic, Maine, or northern lobster, is both the heaviest crustacean and the heaviest of all extant arthropods. Old individuals regularly average around 20 lbs and the record holder, caught off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1977, weighed a staggering 44 lbs, which is heavier than my four year old son!

Manatee, adult and calf (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)

3 (2 votes)

Whales typically dominate the discussion of fully aquatic mammals, though Sirenians should be acknowledged for making the transition around the same time. As oppose to ungulates, these creatures are related to proboscids and hyraxes. Amongst the extant species, there are 3 that belong to the manatee genus (Trichechus).

Mandarin Duck (Wings of the World by Safari Ltd.)

5 (3 votes)

Review and images by Takama; additional text by Jetoar and bmathison1972

Mandarin ducks (Aix galericulata) are my favorite ducks. So I am glad Safari Ltd. made one for their Wings of the World collection in 2008.

Mandarin ducks are native to East Asia and Japan, with feral populations established in Great Britain, Germany, and in North Carolina and California in the U.S.

Maned Wolf (Wild Safari Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)

5 (4 votes)

Review and images by Saarlooswolfhound; edited by bmathison1972

The Safari Ltd. maned wolf, listed as #100367, was released in 2021 and is currently in production. This model is included as part of the Wild Safari Wildlife Collection. The model itself measures to around 4 inches long and 3.5 inches tall (10.16 cm x 8.89 cm).

Manta Ray (Monterey Bay Aquarium Collection by Safari Ltd.)

4.6 (8 votes)

Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972

Make no surprise there have already been multiple manta ray figures reviewed on this blog, with 3 from the big 4 already being tackled: CollectA, Papo, and Schleich. It is not surprising, as there is no shortage of manta ray figures, with a number of good and incredible figures in many different sizes: from tube-sized to standard-sized figures, across both the reef and oceanic mantas.

Matschie’s Tree-kangaroo (Wild Safari Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)

1.6 (19 votes)

Tree-kangaroos of the genus Dendrolagus are unique and fascinating animals in that they’re the only macropods adapted for an arboreal lifestyle. Indeed, while they move about awkwardly on land, they are quite agile in the trees. They possess a number of adaptations for living this lifestyle including broad hindfeet, long claws, dexterous hands, patches of rough skin on the hands and feet for gripping, and tails that are proportionally longer than those of their terrestrial counterparts, which allows for greater balance.

Megamouth Shark (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)

4.9 (7 votes)

Review and photos by Suspsy, edited by bmathison1972

Ichthyologists the world over were flabbergasted back in 1976 when a US warship hauled in its anchor only to discover a large and previously unknown species of shark entangled in the chain. Its enormous gaping mouth, lined only with tiny teeth, led it to be called the megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios).

Minke Whale (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)

4.4 (5 votes)

The minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) belongs to the same genus as the world’s largest animal, the blue whale, but at 26-33’ (8-10.2 meters) is only a fraction of its giant cousin’s size. Indeed, the minke whale is the world’s smallest species of rorqual and the second smallest species of baleen whale (the pygmy right whale is the smallest).

Moon Bear (Wild Safari Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)

3.7 (12 votes)

The moon bear (Ursus thibetanus), also known as the Asian black bear, gets its name from the white or cream colored crescent shaped marking on its chest. They’re found in Asia, stretching in a narrow band from southeast Iran across central Asia, and into southeast Asia, including China, Taiwan, far east Russia, North and South Korea, and Japan.

Narwhal (Monterey Bay Aquarium Collection by Safari Ltd.)

5 (2 votes)

For me, there are not many ”normal” whale species. Most either look normal until you learn more about them or openly advertise their weirdness like the narwhal (Monodon monoceros). The narwhal is the only extant member of its genus and its closest relative is the beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), both belonging to the Monodontidae family.

Nile Crocodile (Saltwater Crocodile) (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)

4.3 (16 votes)

One of the most powerful animals in the Animal Kingdom, having a bite force of over 3,000 psi and able to hold its breath underwater for over an hour, the crocodile is an impressive animal that is feared and yet even revered in some cultures, notably the Ancient Egyptians who worshipped them.

North American Porcupine (Wild Safari North American Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)

4 (6 votes)

Today I am reviewing a figure that I think needs some special attention, the North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), that was released by Safari Ltd in 2018 for their North American Wildlife line. When promo pics first came out for this figure, it got a lot of negative feedback, much of which I think is undeserving given the complex morphology of the actual animal (more on that below).

Nurse Shark (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)

4.2 (5 votes)

Well, this upcoming week is Shark Week (and Shark Fest was last week, apparently) so here’s our mandatory shark review to celebrate the event. Not that we need an excuse to review sharks, we appreciate sharks all year long around here.

Ocean Sunfish (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)

4.3 (6 votes)

When we think of the big ocean fishes it’s the billfishes, tuna, and sharks that typically come to mind. Strong, sleek, torpedo shaped apex predators. But one of the largest bony fishes in the sea strays far from that mold. The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) can reach 2,205lbs (1,000 kg) and in appearance looks like an enormous disembodied fish head with fins but no tail, and that’s basically what it is.