Platypus (Wild Life Asia and Australia by Schleich)

Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972

When I began amassing an animal figure collection for my boys to play with and learn from, my goal was for a wide diversity of genera from across the globe. Popular beasts like the lion, the tiger, the elephant, the giraffe, the hippo, the crocodile, the kangaroo, and the wolf, of course, but I also wished to include odder ones like the Komodo dragon, the sloth, the cassowary, and the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). My first choice for the latter was the one from Southlands Replicas, but that turned out to be something of a flop. Yes, it is indeed an accurate and beautifully sculpted representation, but it’s also far too small for my children to play with. It absolutely would end up being lost in no time. So in the end, I chose the 2020 Schleich version as a replacement.

This platypus is posed resting on its belly with its head, body, and tail curving to the left. Most likely it’s lounging comfortably in its burrow along the riverbank, but for the purpose of creative play, one could easily imagine it in the act of swimming. Mind, for a proper swimming pose, the hind limbs would need to be folded against the body, as the platypus only uses its front limbs to propel itself through the water while the hind ones work in tandem with the tail to steer. Its eyes and nostrils would also be tightly shut.

At 10 cm long and 5 cm wide at the front limbs, this platypus is considerably larger than its Southlands Replicas counterpart; the latter looks like a baby next to it! The main colour is a very dark brown with subtle medium brown wash. The underbelly is painted solid medium brown while very dark grey is used for the feet and bill. Finally, the tiny eyes are glossy black. Looks nice overall, although the fur is much darker than that of a real platypus. Southlands Replicas scores higher in this category.

In terms of sculpting, however, this Schleich figure rates very highly. The fur looks dense and packed, and while you can clearly see a thin crack running across the back in the image above, it’s really not that noticeable under most lighting conditions. You can also see that the tail is correctly rounded and flattened, and the large, duck-like bill has a smooth texture. But whereas a duck’s bill is hard and bony, a platypus’ is rubbery and flexible. It also contains electroreceptors which enable it to locate the worms, insects, and crustaceans that it feeds on. The webbed feet are also fairly well sculpted, but I wish there were visible claws as well. And no sign of venomous spurs on the hind limbs, so this individual appears to be a female.

Overall then, I think the Schleich platypus is a fairly impressive toy and one that is certainly appropriate for children to play with. Mind, there’s also the ones from CollectA and Safari Ltd., so you’re spoiled for choice that way.