Before we begin the review, I would like to extend my gratitude towards Happy Hen Toys for sending this figure along as a review sample. Happy Hen Toys is a U.S. distributor of animal figures and one of the only places in the country where you can get CollectA figures at a reasonable price.
White Lion Family (Toymany)
Before we begin, I would like to thank bmathison1972 for sending this set to me, which he received as a review sample from ToyMany. Be sure to use his discount code, BMLION20, if ordering directly from ToyMany’s website, and receive a 10% discount.
In the Timbavati region of South Africa there once lived a population of leucistic Southern African lions (Panthera leo melanochaita) that were white in color and are thought to have existed there for centuries.
Death’s-head Hawkmoth (Squishable)
I thought I was done with reviews for spooky season this year but with only a few days left until Halloween I was determined to make sure this cutie was featured on the blog before season’s end. This is the death’s-head hawkmoth (genus Acherontia) by Squishable. Death’s-head hawkmoths seem to be all the rage this year.
Bats (Play Visions)
There are two mammals, or perhaps broadly groups of mammals, that exemplify Halloween. One is the black cat. The other is the bat. Bats have a long history in human folklore, tradition, and fictional literature and cinema. In North America, the Creek, Cherokee, and Apache viewed the bat as a trickster god.
Death’s-head Hawkmoth (Garden Animals by Papo)
The genus Acherontia, whose members are commonly referred to as death’s-head hawkmoths, contains three species broadly distributed in Eurasia and Africa. The greater death’s-head hawkmoth (A. lachesis), which is the largest of the three, occurs in Central and East Asia to Japan and the Philippines; it has also recently become established in Hawaii.
Long-eared Owl (Wings of the World by Safari Ltd.)
It’s October again, and that means for the entire month we’ll be featuring spooky creatures and creepy crawlers here on the blog. Halloween is big in my household. Decorations go up in September, apple cider is well stocked in the fridge, pumpkin scented candles burn, and horror movies play every night.
Gorilla, infant (Baby Wildlife by Toymany)
Author’s note: Normally in October I follow the ‘spooky’ critters theme. However, I wanted to get this sixth and final Toymany baby African animal up on the blog, which like others I have reviewed recently, was courtesy of @Kenc and our friends at Toymany. My other posts this month will stick to the traditional theme :-).
Common Zebra, foal (Baby Wildlife by Toymany)
Pygmy Hippopotamus (Wild Safari Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)
I wasn’t originally going to post a review this week but there was one last figure I wanted to cover before October began and creepy critters would dominate the blog. It’s the Safari Ltd. pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) and the reason I wanted to cover it sooner than later is thanks to a certain baby pygmy hippo that has taken the internet by storm.
Reticulated Giraffe, calf (Baby Wildlife by Toymany)
African Bush Elephant, calf (Baby Wildlife by Toymany)
Before I start this review I must once again thank @Kenc and our friends at Toymany for donating this review sample. The quality of Toymany’s figures, their relatively inexpensive price point, and their willingness to engage with, and take thoughts and comments by, the toy animal collector community shows why they are a quickly rising star in our hobby!
Hippopotamus, calf (Baby Wildlife by Toymany)
Before I start this review, I would like to thank @Kenc and our friends at Toymany for providing this review sample for the Blog! It is very much appreciated!
The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) usually mates during the wet season. Mating typically takes place in the water, with the female almost entirely submerged, only poking her head up on occasion to draw a breath of air.