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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Growing up on a cattle farm there was one piece of advice I always heeded and never questioned, beware of the bull. While the cows were typically approachable and docile the bull was the polar opposite of that. A hulking, testosterone infused beast, the mere presence of the bull was intimidating enough to keep you at bay, no cautionary advice needed.
Dropbears. The deadliest mammals in the outback, dropping down on unsuspecting prey!! This terrifying creature……. is not real, but it does make for a fun way to mess with people. The real animal is the laid back Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), a eucalyptus eating marsupial in Australia. There are a few subspecies of this creature, with the Southern being the largest, found in South Australia and Victoria.
In the rainforests in the highlands of Cameroon lives the enigmatic Cameroon sailfin chameleon (Trioceros montium). It is kin to the more familiar Jackson’s chameleon. It occurs primarily in rainforests around Mount Cameroon between 700 and 1900 meters above sea level, although it has been known to make its way into farms and gardens.
Australia is home to numerous species of parrot, from the Gallah to the sulpur-crested Cockatoo. Many are now quite rare as a result of humanity, but most are now protected and hopefully will recover. Sadly, this isn’t the case for all of them, as one species no longer exists among them, the Paradise Parrot.
Of the various classes of animals, Cephalopoda is among the smartest and most intriguing, the tentacled forms having taken many forms over the millennia. Often there are shelled forms, like the ammonites and Nautiloids. Another, coming from the same groups as octopus, are Argonauts, or paper nautiluses, as the shelled females have very brittle shells, where as the males lack shells.
The beaked whales of the family Ziphiidae are collectively among the most elusive and poorly understood of all cetaceans, or mammals in general. Roughly 24 species have been described so far with the Ramari’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon eueu) having been described in 2021. Indeed, new beaked whale species are regularly described, or their taxonomy revised, as our understanding of them increases.
Review and images by Bonnie; edited by bmathison1972
As soon as I knew Schleich were releasing a crossbreed featuring a golden retriever I was very excited to see it in real life!
I think this is a really interesting model, as it is the first time Schleich have released a cross-breed dog officially named and in their main dog series!
