You never know how someone is going to affect your day-to-day life. A month ago, someone I knew down my road passed away. He was never a major part of my life, but he was always there, happy to chat about everything and nothing, always accompanied by a black Labrador (Canis lupus familiaris).
Classification: Carnivorans
African Wild Dog (Safari Ltd. and Mojö Fun)
4.8 (8 votes)
In the vast plains of South Africa, the dry season is in full swing. Animals are in desperate search of food and water as the heat’s mirage play a cruel trick on them.
In the distance, a trio of dark figure move at a steady pace heading towards the edge of the woodland.
Dalmatian, pair (Noah’s Pals by Caboodle! Toys LLC)
5 (1 votes)
Often referred to as man’s best friend, dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) have been a major part of human life for thousands of years, helping us hunt, track, and keep us company, not to mention modern adaptations, such as helping the afflicted live better lives. No wonder Noah’s Pals made two sets of these animals (though I’d rather have had more wild species, but there you go).
Cheetah, standing (AAA)
2.7 (3 votes)
When it comes to land speed records, no living animal surpasses the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). This sleek predator can max out between 50 and 80 mph, allowing it to keep up with prey, although in small bursts. It is one of the largest of the Felinae group, not being a big cat as it can’t roar, only purr.
Striped Hyena (Wildlife by CollectA)
5 (8 votes)
The spotted hyena is one of the most well-known and popular animals today, thanks to its many appearance in nature documentaries as well as movies. It has become one of those iconic animals that almost everyone knows or at least can identify.
But the spotted hyena is not alone in its family, today there are actually four extant species of hyenas: the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), the brown hyena (Hyaena brunnea) the aardwolf (Proteles cristatus), and striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena).
Polar Bear, 2009 (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
4.3 (6 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
A truly iconic beast, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is the biggest of all extant bears, the undisputed master of the Great North, and the image on one side of the two dollar coin in my home and native land of Canada.
Walrus (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
4.4 (12 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Thanks to its wonderful whiskers and tusks, the walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is the most unique and recognizable out of all the 33 extant pinnipeds. Many toys of this massive beast have been made over the decades; here we shall be examining the Wild Safari Sealife version from 2005.
Skunk, pair (Noah’s Pals by Caboodle! Toys LLC)
3.5 (2 votes)
Evolution has produced many ways for life to defend itself, with eyes and jaws, claws and teeth. More interesting to me is when animals use chemical methods to stay alive. From the venomous reptiles to the explosive force of the bombardier beetle, internal chemistry can be a trump card for many animals.
California Sea Lion (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
4.5 (8 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) is perhaps the most familiar of all the eared seals due to its popularity in zoos and aquariums as well as its range across most of the western coastline of North America. Intelligent and adaptable, it is just as comfortable resting on a man-made structure, such as the famous Pier 39 in San Francisco, as it is on a remote sandy beach.
African Lioness, with cub (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.9 (7 votes)
No other extant animal captures the essence of the wild like the lion. It is without a doubt the most famous of the big cats and often referred to as “King of the Beasts”, “Lord of the Jungle” and so on.
The lion’s great strength and the male’s impressive appearance have made them popular and a staple of pop culture and the toy figure industry.
Spotted Seal (Sealife by CollectA)
4.8 (6 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
A fairly typical member of the earless or “true” seal family, the spotted seal (Phoca largha) inhabits the cold waters of the northern Pacific Ocean. Its range includes the Yellow Sea off China, which may have been a factor in CollectA’s decision to make not one, but two toys of it in 2014.
Caracal (Premier Series by Yowie Group)
2.7 (3 votes)
Images by Takama; additional text by bmathison1972
This caracal (Caracal caracal) figure was produced by Yowie Group (=Yowie USA) in their Premier Series, which was the relaunch of the popular Yowie line.
The caracal is a small to medium-sized cat endemic to savannas, dry forests, and grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Middle East, and Central Asia, as well as coastal North Africa.