Everyone knows that Santa’s sleigh is pulled by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) but with 14 extant sub-species currently described has anyone ever wondered what kind of reindeer are pulling it? Probably not. But according to the 1823 poem (which also gave the reindeer their names) A Visit from St.
Classification: Mammals
Pacific White-Sided Dolphin (Monterey Bay Aquarium Collection by Safari Ltd.)
4.8 (5 votes)
While the more popular cetacean species exist in most parts of the world, there exist many that are confined to their own little corner of the ocean, such as the North Pacific white-sided dolphin (Sagmatias obliquidens). These dolphins exist across the entire span of the North Pacific.
Nilgai (Wildlife by CollectA)
5 (6 votes)
Review and images by EpicRaptorMan; edited by bmathison1972
Behold, the nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), the largest Asian antelope native to much of India. This antelope is a bit of an oddity once described by Elizabeth Cary Mungall in her book “Exotic Animal Field Guide” as a “[…] combination of a horse and a cow with the beard of a turkey and short devil horns.” Which is a fairly accurate description.
Commerson’s Dolphin (SeaWorld)
4.3 (3 votes)
Review and images by EpicRaptorMan; edited by bmathison1972
This small dolphin is known from an assortment of common names some of which include: the panda dolphin, skunk dolphin, jacobita, and Commerson’s dolphin, just to name a few. This cetacean was first described in 1767 by the French naturalist Dr. Philibert Commerson while exploring the waters around the southern tip of South America and was scientifically named Cephalorhynchus commersonii in 1804.
Leopard Seal (Wild Animals by Papo)
3.1 (9 votes)
Review and images by EpicRaptorMan; edited by bmathison1972
Imagine a white fuzzy seal with big black eyes crying out for food. Now imagine a massive predator with enormous jaws and an appetite to match; this is Hydrurga leptonyx a.k.a. the leopard seal.
Today I chose to review the leopard seal by Papo (56042) and if you couldn’t tell by the intro, the leopard seal is not to be trifled with.
Steller’s Sea Cow (Yowies Forgotten Friends Series A by Cadbury)
2 (2 votes)
The order sirenia has long been fascinating to me, the main herbivorous marine mammals that have survived throughout the Cenozoic. The one that interests me the most (even inspiring my ATB name Sirenia) is, unfortunately, no longer living, the Steller’s Sea Cow. These giant sirenians lived around Commander Island in the Bering sea, being hunted by locals.
Collared Peccary (Wild Safari North American Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)
5 (7 votes)
Although they look very much like pigs, and are sometimes called New World pigs, peccaries aka javelinas belong to their own distinct family, Tayassuidae. Pigs belong to the family Suidae and about 30 million years of evolution separates the two families that together make up the Suina clade. While all true pig species hail from the Old World, all extant peccary species come from the Americas, although the family originally evolved in Europe.
White Tiger (Wildlife Asia & Australia by Schleich)
3.9 (7 votes)
Contrary to popular belief, the white tiger is not its own unique species or sub-species of tiger. In fact, according to Luke Hunter’s Carnivores of the World, all captive white tigers are descended from one wild individual. That individual was a male cub captured in Madhya Pradesh, India, in 1951.
Jaguar, pair (Noah’s Pals by Caboodle! Toys LLC)
2 (4 votes)
In the forests of South America, is an incredible and capable killer. With a camouflaged pelt, acute senses and a powerful bite that allows it to crush turtle carapaces and mammal skulls, it is famed for power and features in many myths and legends of the region. This animal is the Jaguar (Panthera onca), and despite the problems from hunting for it’s pelt, it is still among us across South America, though in many areas it’s numbers are incredibly low, hence why, in the Noah’s Pals line, it is part of the “vulnerable” line, limited to 20,000 pairs.
Caribbean Monk Seal (Yowies Forgotten friends Series A by Cadbury)
3.5 (2 votes)
Human greed is a catastrophic thing for the world. It results in pollution and destruction of the environment, and the loss of many, many amazing creatures. One such example is the Caribbean Monk Seal, a docile creature that lived around the Caribbean islands. These animals were hunted by visitors to the island, often for their fur and oil.
Black Cat, sitting (Schleich Farm by Schleich)
3.8 (4 votes)
Review and images by Saarlooswolfhound; edited by bmathison1972
In keeping with the Halloween theme for the upcoming holiday, here is presented the Schleich #13004 sitting black cat (Felis catus). This model was released in 1984 in the early days of the company as part of the Schleich Farm series and was later discontinued in 1997.
Gray Wolf, mother and pups (Boxed Sets of Wild Life by Schleich)
3.7 (3 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Wolves (Canis lupus) are burdened with an unjustly sinister reputation for a variety of reasons and one is the centuries-old myth of werewolves. One most frightful tale is that of Peter Stubbe, ‘the Werewolf of Bedburg.’ In 1589, he confessed under torture to having received a wolfskin belt from the Devil that allowed him to transform into “the likeness of a greedy, devouring wolf, strong and mighty, with eyes great and large, which in the night sparkled like fire, a mouth great and wide, with most sharp and cruel teeth, a huge body, and mighty paws.” I will not go on to describe the many horrific crimes Stubbe committed, or the equally horrific punishment that was meted out to him on October 31, but suffice it to say, you shouldn’t read the entire story if you’re squeamish.