I started collecting insects when I was in Junior High School, so roughly 1984 or so. Like most beginners, I collected conspicuous and familiar species in my neighborhood, including of course butterflies and moths. Among the Lepidoptera my favorites were members of the family Pieridae, commonly referred to as whites, yellows, sulfurs, and orange-tips due to their delicate off-whites and pastel oranges and yellows.
Bavarian Pine Vole (Yowies Forgotten Friends Series A by Cadbury)
4 (3 votes)
Here, we see a rather surprising critter, a rodent from Europe that defied expectations. Here is the tale of the Bavarian Pine Vole (Microtus bavaricus): Once found only in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, the species was last seen in 1962, and the site it once inhabited was demolished in order to build a hospital.
Mountain Goat, Pair (Noah’s Pals by Caboodle! Toys LLC)
4 (3 votes)
When someone or something is capable of scaling mountains and sheer heights, they are said to be “Sure footed as a mountain goat”, and it is well earned. The Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) is a capable of scaling heights in spite of lacking claws or anything for grappling, across the alpine and sub alpine areas of the Rockies mountains.
Falkland Islands Dog (Yowie Forgotten Friends Series A by Cadbury)
3.5 (2 votes)
The canid family has produced some incredible species, though many are no longer around. Here we have one such, the Falkland Islands Dog. Related to Maned Wolf, this canid was isolated to the Falkland islands (perhaps unsurprisingly) and was likely the apex predator, as it lacked fear. This could be seen when sailors could get them to eat out their hands… usually before hitting the animal and killing it.
Grove Snail (Wild Animals by Papo)
5 (3 votes)
Cepaea nemoralis is a common and familiar species of land snail. It goes by several common names, including brown-lipped snail, grove snail, and lemon snail. It occurs throughout much of Europe, north to Sweden and east to Ukraine, including the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. It has also been introduced to North America (Northeast and Pacific Northwest) and Venezuela.
Red Deer Stag (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.2 (5 votes)
With today being St. Patrick’s Day, I thought it would be fun to look at an animal that hails from the Emerald Isle. I decided to go with the red deer (Cervus elaphus), Ireland’s only native deer and its largest native land mammal. The red deer ranges across much of Europe, into western Asia, and Northern Africa where it has the distinction of being Africa’s only deer species.
Red Gazelle (Yowies Forgotten Friends Series A by Cadbury)
4 (2 votes)
Africa is an amazing continent, full of incredible species throughout the history of the world. Many are sadly no longer extant, lost to time, often as the result of human expansion. Such is the case with the Red Gazelle, found in Algeria, all that is now left of this species are a few specimens…..
Old World Swallowtail, adult and caterpillar (Wild Animals by Papo)
5 (3 votes)
While commonly referred to as the ‘Old World swallowtail’, Papilio machaon has a very wide distribution, widest of any of the Papilionidae, covering most of the Palearctic and into western North America. Part of the species’ success is its tolerance for a variety of habitats and host plants. The butterfly can be found in forests, grasslands, hilltops, Alpine meadows, tundra, wetlands, disturbed areas, parks, and gardens.
Mountain Nyala, Pair (Noah’s Pals by Caboodle! Toys LLC)
4.5 (4 votes)
Africa is a land of amazing creatures, whether in the Savanna or the highlands, you will find life. In central Ethiopia, in the high altitude woodlands, you will find one beautiful species, the Mountain Nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni), shy creatures found browsing in small herds at high altitudes.
Roan Antelope, Pair (Noah’s Pals by Caboodle! Toys LLC)
4.6 (5 votes)
Though a wastebasket taxon, antelopes are still an endearing group, filled with many similar yet diverse species. There are several large members of this group, and this review will show one in the top 5 of these, the Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus). Found in Southern, Western and Central Africa, they are only smaller than the eland, male Kudu and Bongo, showing them as sizeable creatures.
Narwhal (Sealife by CollectA)
4.7 (3 votes)
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is a species of toothed whale that lives in the Artic waters of Greenland, Canada, and Russia. Along with the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), they are the only living members of the Monodontidae family of whales and it’s not too hard to see why.
Passenger Pigeon (Yowies Forgotten Friends Series A by Cadbury)
4 (1 votes)
It is always tragic when humans in avertedly cause an animal to become extinct, whether because we didn’t know how limited the population was, destroying habitats or releasing animals that the ecosystem isn’t prepared for. What is intolerable, however, is when a species is rare and humans actively wipe the majority out.
Ruby-eyed Green Pit Viper (Animals with Superpowers by Yowie Group)
4.2 (5 votes)
The ruby-eyed green pit viper (Craspedocephalus rubeus) is a venomous species of snake from Cambodia and Vietnam that was described in 2011. Not much is known about the species. It lives in seasonal tropical forests near fast flowing streams and appears to be nocturnal. The genus Craspedocephalus contains 15 species, and they tend to be small, arboreal, and feed on small rodents, birds, lizards, and amphibians. Today we’re looking at the ruby-eyed green pit viper, part of Yowie’s Animals with Superpowers set released in 2021.
Giraffe Stag Beetle (Revogeo by Kaiyodo)
3 (2 votes)
Today I am continuing reviews of Kaiyodo’s Revogeo arthropods with the giraffe stag beetle (Prosopocoilus giraffa) which was released in late 2021. This is the fifth figure in the series following an emperor scorpion (2019), red-clawed crab (2019), Asian giant hornet (2020), and Japanese giant water bug (2021).
European Lobster (Marine Life by Papo)
5 (2 votes)
Lobsters are not super common as toys, at least not as produced by major manufacturers as realistic figures recognizable at the species level. Most of them that have been made (AAA, Safari Ltd., CollectA, Kaiyodo) represent the Maine lobster, Homarus americanus. In 2021, Papo extended its ever-growing collection of arthropods with a European lobster (H.