An adaptable, intelligent animal, the wild boar (Sus scrofa) was already a successful species long before it was domesticated and transplanted around the world by humans in the form of the domestic pig (S. scrofa domesticus). Naturally, they range across Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa, where they thrive in a variety of habitats.
Giant Panda, male 2017 (Wild Life by Schleich)
4.5 (10 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
A conservation icon, a beloved zoo attraction, and a star of a hit animated franchise, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is quite possibly the most immediately recognizable animal on the planet. Naturally then, it has enjoyed countless toys over the decades, including this 2017 figure courtesy of Schleich.
ANIA Blind Box Series 3 (Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.)
4.7 (3 votes)
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
ANIA is a line of animal figures released under Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. catered towards educating children about wildlife. These figures are highly detailed, inexpensive, and often accurate to the animals they are made to portray. The line has gained popularity in Japan, with them branching out to releasing bath bombs with little animals, gashapons, and blind boxes.
Pygmy Sperm Whale (Sealife by CollectA)
4.1 (7 votes)
Review and images by callmejoe3; edited by bmathison1972
Our latest cetacean review will shift its attention to a long-overlooked species, the pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps). The cetacean clade ‘’Physeteroidea’’, is one of the oldest lineages within the odontocete order. Its only extant members are the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) and the species within the Kogia genus.
Common Pheasant (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.8 (6 votes)
Review and images by Lanthanotus; edited by bmathison1972
The bird life of Middle Europe generally does not flaunt too much color, although if one looks closely there are a few corlorful species, as the gold finch or the green woodpecker. A fairly common species in middle European fields and meadows nowadays is the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus).
Brown Bear Roaring (AAA)
4.6 (7 votes)
Once more we delve into the “Winter Wonderland”, to a creature that sleeps during this time of cold and hardships, the bear. These carnivorans are fairly successful, thanks to their ability to tackle any food, be it fauna or flora, to build themselves up for hibernation in the cold winter months.
Epaulette Shark (Wild Republic by K&M International)
4 (2 votes)
Review and images by callmejoe3; edited by bmathison1972
The blog will now take its first look into the epaulette shark species. Epaulette sharks belong to the genus Hemiscyllium, composed of nine formally described species, with one having yet to be described. This genus belongs to the Orectolobiformes order of sharks, commonly described as ‘’carpet sharks’’, which also includes nurse and whale sharks.
Galápagos Tortoise, 2020 (Wild Animals by Schleich)
4.3 (9 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
“I frequently got on their backs, and then giving a few raps on the hinder part of their shells, they would rise up and walk away;—but I found it very difficult to keep my balance.” – Charles Darwin
Such was the experience of the legendary naturalist when he studied the giant tortoises of the Galápagos Islands in 1835.
Shrimp (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)
5 (3 votes)
Today we are looking at a review of, and for me a total reassessment of, the ‘shrimp’ produced by Safari Ltd. in 2015 as part of their Incredible Creatures line. When I first received this figure, I was very happy for it, since it was the first arthropod produced by Safari in five years (that wasn’t part of a TOOB or life cycle set), but also had some stark criticisms for it.
Blue Hippo Tang (Saltwater Fish in Colour Part 1 by Yujin)
5 (2 votes)
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
The surgeonfish are a group of fish that inhabits warm waters around coral reefs. They are mostly herbivorous and benifit the reefs by eating algae, which balances the coral and algal growth. They range in size from the small bristletooth tang which can get up to 15 cm to the largest surgeonfish species: the white margin unicornfish, which gets to 100 cm in length.
New Zealand Grayling (Yowies Forgotten Friends Series A by Cadbury)
4 (1 votes)
Across the globe, fish populations are under threat as a result of human expansion, altering the environment to suit us. From the Yangtze to the Atlantic, aquatic populations are struggling. This has led to many extinctions, such as the subject of this review: the New Zealand Grayling (Prototroctes oxyrhynchus).
Backyard Birds TOOB (Safari Ltd.)
4.6 (5 votes)
Birds are without question the most prevalent tetrapod vertebrates in today’s world and for many people, especially in urban settings, birds are the most intimate link to the natural world available. Step outside, no matter where you are, you’re likely to see or hear a bird. Even as a write, I can see about a dozen birds at my bird feeder.
Domestic Sheep, ram (AAA)
4 (3 votes)
Now to something a little more domestic in our “Winter Wonderland” series. The domestic sheep (Ovis aries) has an impressive fur coat, which would help with coping with high or cold climbs across the globe. Giving us wool and meat, sheep are a mainstay of the farmland, so there is a lot of figures of the various breeds.
Octopus (AAA)
3 (3 votes)
Review and images by callmejoe3; edited by bmathison1972
Today marks a return to cataloging a member of the group of eight-limbed cephalopods. The order of octopuses, Octopoda, contains 300 extant species. These creatures inhabit a wide range of habitats ranging from pelagic waters and coral reefs to the deepest parts of the oceans.
Red-eared Slider, baby (Primary Turtles in Colour by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.)
3.3 (3 votes)
Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972
Red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) are a semi-aquatic species of turtles (in some places, they are also known as terrapins). They are found in most freshwater habitats of North America, including the southern United States and Northern Mexico. Juveniles are typically a green colour with a ‘red ear’ (hence the name) but as they get older, they turn to more of a brownish colour and the red ear fades.