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.
I must say, I was quite pleasantly surprised when I received the 2019 CollectA Indian crested porcupine in the mail. I’d only ever seen image of it in profile online and in the CollectA catalogs, so I had no idea just how wide it really is! The quills are not merely raised upwards, but out to the sides as well, making the toy look like a bit like a round thorny bush. It measures 5.5 cm long, 5 wide, and slightly over 4 cm high.
This plucky rodent is clearly in a defensive stance. In addition to the quills being spread out, the head is lowered to protect the face. The Indian crested porcupine has many natural predators: wild cats, wild dogs, hyenas, and crocodiles. And it does sometimes end up being killed and devoured in spite of its formidable quills — although the predator might also end up paying dearly for it.
The unprotected portion of the porcupine’s body is very dark brown with a white patch on its throat and black eyes and nostrils. The large, mohawk-like crest atop its head is dark grey and creamy white while the quills covering the back are a combination of dark grey and a milkier shade of white. Finally, the tail is creamy white.
The detail on the porcupine’s head and body is very well sculpted, particularly on the head and the soles of the feet. The quills come off as more like a thick, matted bush than the real deal, but to be fair, sculpting all those long and thin individual quills would be practically impossible on a toy this size. The North American porcupine toy from Safari Ltd. has a very similar sculpting job to this one. Bottom line: it’s still pretty much unmistakable for an Indian crested species. And it does feel satisfyingly pointy. Indeed, it can easily be used to scratch your itches if you so desire. And you certainly wouldn’t want to step on it in bare feet!
So yes, in the end, I find this to be a very nifty and enjoyable little toy. Recommended.
@blog 1980s hairdo.