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.
Saltwater Crocodile, ‘Fiona’ (G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro)
5 (20 votes)
Review and images by Fembrogon; edited by bmathison1972
G.I. Joe is not a franchise I have any prior affiliation with or affection for; it just never crossed my radar in any meaningful way growing up. Show me a big, articulated reptile toy, however, and I will gladly offer any merchandise brand a moment of my time.
Humphead Wrasse (Blue Groper) (Sealife by Mojö Fun)
3.9 (12 votes)
Since getting into the animal toy hobby, I’ve seen this enigmatic toy fish discussed more than a few times, due to its ambiguous identity. Originally marketed as a blue groper (yes, that’s the actual name, genus Achoerodus) it appears to now be marketed as a blue grouper. A search on Fishbase indicates that the only fish for which that common name applies is the comet grouper (Epinephelus morrhua).
Rabbit, 2017 (Farm World by Schleich)
4.1 (8 votes)
Hoppy Easter, everybody!
No animal better symbolizes Easter than the domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus) which was domesticated from the European rabbit (O. cuniculus) at least as early as 1 B.C. The origin of the rabbit in Easter mythology is not completely understood, but it is believed to have started with Germanic Lutherans as a Santa Claus-like figure who judged children as good or disobedient during Eastertide, and rewarded the good ones with colored eggs and candy.
Green Iguana (Wild Life America by Schleich)
3.9 (15 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The common or green iguana (Iguana iguana) is a reptile of many titles. It’s the largest member of the iguana family, measuring up to 1.7 metres from head to tail, with most of that length being tail. It has probably the widest distribution of any lizard, ranging throughout most of South America and all the way up into southern Mexico, plus it’s been introduced to places like Florida, Hawaii, Singapore, Thailand, and Taiwan.
Barn Owl, ‘Swoop’ (Douglas Cuddle Toys)
3.8 (13 votes)
Review and images by Fembrogon; edited by bmathison1972
If you were to ask me what my favorite owl species was, I think I could safely say the barn owl is my pick. The most famous and widespread of species under the Tyto genus, Tyto alba is iconic for its striking plumage, silent flight, and piercing cry – earning it the nickname “ghost owl”.
Cryptozoology Designer TOOB (Safari Ltd.)
4.8 (12 votes)
Review and images by Saarlooswolfhound; edited by bmathison1972
This article marks my first multiple model (Safari Ltd. TOOB) production! Presented here are 14 figures, 7 original pieces and 7 later re-released with updated paintwork. The Cryptozoology Designer TOOB by Safari Ltd. #677504 was originally released in 2013 with simplistic paintwork, then re-released a few years after retirement with much improved paint schemes for most of the figures.
American Spotted Donkey (Farm World by Schleich)
4.7 (10 votes)
Before I start this review, I would again like to thank the folks at Happy Hen Toys who donated this review sample. Domestic equids are not a focus of mine. I have a few, mostly ancient or feral, horse breeds, and one each mule (Safari Ltd.) and donkey (CollectA).
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.
Frogfish (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)
5 (13 votes)
With its stout body, limb-like fins, large head, and perpetual frown, it is easy to see how the frogfish got its name. Frogfishes are members of the anglerfish family, Antennariidae. There are about 50 species of them, and they can be found in almost all tropical and subtropical waters around the world where they inhabit coral reefs and rocky habitats.
Andean Condor (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.5 (16 votes)
Review and images by Lanthanotus; edited by bmathison1972
When I was a child of eight or nine my dad gave us cassettes with audio plays once in a while which he brought from the big city where he worked. One of these plays was The Children of Captain Grant (or In Search of the Castaways) by Jules Verne.
Bat Ray (Venomous Creatures TOOB by Safari Ltd.)
4.2 (10 votes)
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
Disclaimer: I’ll be covering Version 2 of the Safari Ltd. Venomous Creatures TOOB bat ray, as it is the only figure I have from the TOOB and rays are my specialty when it comes to animal reviews. Also, another review would likely do a run through the entire set with the other figures.
Honeypot Ant (Little Wonders by CollectA)
4.7 (9 votes)
The term ‘honeypot’ ant is a common name given to multiple genera of ants that are best known for the replete, or plerergate, members of their caste system. Repletes are sterile works that serve as food reserves for when other food sources are scarce. The repletes hang from the ‘ceiling’ in special chambers of the nest and are gorged with food to the point their abdomens become greatly distended with honey.
African Elephant, 2021 (Wildlife by Mojö Fun)
4.5 (11 votes)
Review and images by Kikimalou; edited by bmathison1972
Today we’ll be looking at the 2021 African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) by Mojö Fun. This is the first African elephant by a major western company since 2017, when Papo produced one. As for Mojö Fun, their last African elephant dates back to 2015.
Axolotl (MatMire_Makes)
3.4 (10 votes)
Review and images by Fembrogon; edited by bmathison1972
With the onset of commercial 3D printing and a growing number of online shops and artist-friendly websites, a new world of hidden treasures and surprises has opened up for collectors and hobbyists. One such surprise I recently encountered was featured on a table at a reptile expo, where the handlers were not only selling the typical real (and rather cute) reptiles, but also a selection of equally cute articulated toys.