Nile Crocodile (“Naeem”, Living Animal Models by PNSO)

Although they’re most recognized by collectors for their prehistoric animal models, PNSO has also produced a number of extant animal figures over the years, aptly named the Living Animal Model Series, in both large and small sizes. In 2015 PNSO released thirteen Small Model Series figurines as an African Animals set, sold separately or bundled all together. Number 012 in the series was Naeem, the Nile crocodile, one of the largest predators of Africa and the second-largest crocodilian in the world. Naeem presented in a standard PNSO box with high-quality photo art and the typical safety information. In addition to the figurine, there is a foldable poster inside, which includes an introduction by representative Yang Yang for parent/teacher buyers; there is also a link to the official PNSO YouTube page for educational videos hosted by co-representative Zhao Chang.

Despite the volume of toys produced over the years, frustratingly few companies bother to label their “crocodile” toys with a species name – even some of the companies which promote education as part of their brand. It brings me great relief to see PNSO specify what kind of crocodile Naeem is, even if one could likely deduce it from the “African” series theme. Although crocodile species can often look very similar to each other, there are certain traits which can be used to distinguish the species; for example the skull is robust and fairly broad, separating Naeem from the African slender-snouted crocodiles. The spotted coloration is more prominent than might usually be seen on the West African crocodile (once considered the same species). Naeem also bears larger, more symmetrical scutes on his neck than the Australian saltwater crocodile, the biggest and second-most famous croc species – four large postoccipital scutes behind Naeem’s head, followed by four and two scutes again in what’s known as the nuchal shield, before the main dorsal scutes begin.

Naeem measures a modest 7.5 cm (3in) long straight from nose to tail; accounting for the curvature of the sculpt, a stretched-out Naeem would be closer to 13 cm (5in) along the spine. For a large 4.6-meter male, Naeem fits in 1:35 scale. The figurine is posed in a neutral resting position, as if resting on a riverbank during midday. Even at its small size, the figurine displays an excellent sense of physical mass. The muscle and fat of the neck and body squish out to the sides, while the tall, narrow tail leans to one side of the curve. The limbs are either tucked next to the body or stretched out limply beside it, conveying the laid-back nature of an animal who’s plopped itself down to relax without a real care. It’s a welcome change of pace to see a toy crocodile that isn’t going for the usual aggressive action pose, attractive as that can be. Odds are most (cautious!) encounters with wild or captive crocodiles would produce shots like this instead.

Underneath the figurine we find more definition to the skin and underlying muscle, albeit with a few marred spots of damage or lost detail from the original mold. Great attention was given to the design of this figure, but perhaps the manufacturing process had less TLC to spare. Perhaps the biggest flaw of the figurine can be found on the mouth. Although the glamour shots on the box and in shop listings show highly defined, carefully painted rows of teeth and skin, the final product bears an ugly seam line along the right side of the face. Seam lines are inevitable with plastic figurines, but the placement is particularly bad in this case. The left side, thankfully, has the seam running along the chin where it’s much less visible, allowing the detail of the jaws to display more properly (albeit still less prominently than advertised).

Apart from the mold seam, other facial details are carefully captured, including the raised nose, eyes, and keration “horns” on the back of the head. The eyes are painted black (almost) neatly, and the horns are highlighted with light greenish-yellow. Each prominent scute along the neck and back exhibits the same highlights, enhancing the sculpt and creating a more visually appealing dorsal view. Most of the rest of the body is military green with large, erratic black spots. The patterns are naturally less intricate than in real life, but successfully capture the spirit of the real animals at this smaller scale.

Naeem is a delightful rendition of what might be the most infamous reptile species in the world, capturing the powerful predator’s likeness with impressive restraint and naturalism. Although not as carefully completed as PNSO’s more recent offerings, this Nile crocodile will do well being handled by large and small hands alike. Sadly, it appears PNSO may not be producing this figurine anymore; but you can check sites like Happy Hen Toys and Minizoo, plus eBay like always, for potential restocks and new listings.