So, today is my birthday. I was thinking of doing something special for my B-day, but I could not could not come up with anything creative. I started looking at the numerical date (4-2-1972) and applying it to my collection database (for example, the fourth tab, second clade, line 1972), but I could not find a logistical way to do it.
Alpine Salamander (NaturimBild.at)
5 (2 votes)
Review and photos by Lanthanotus; edited by bmathison1972
Being new to the blog I decided to go with something very European… [editor’s note: Lanthanotus may be new to the Animal Toy Blog, but he is a regular reviewer for the Dinosaur Toy Blog]
The Alpine Salamander (Salamandra atra) is a livebearing, totally terrestrial species restricted to the Middle-European Alps and parts of the Dinarides.
Wild Boar (Wild Life by Schleich)
4.6 (11 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The pugnacious wild boar (Sus scrofa) is the most widespread and numerous of the wild pigs, with a natural range spanning most of Europe and Asia. It’s also a destructive invasive species in the Americas and Australia, unfortunately. And just as the grey wolf gave rise to the domestic dog, the wild boar gave rise to the domestic pig, thus making it one of the more significant beasts in human history.
Snowy Owl (Wild Life by Schleich)
5 (4 votes)
A couple days ago we had a random Spring snow storm, so I took advantage and snapped a few pics of a species that would normally be home in such a climate, the snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus. What is interesting, I posted the first review on the blog and that figure was Schleich’s tawny owl.
Cool Reptiles Bucket, Part 1 (COG Ltd)
4.3 (3 votes)
I’m back! Again! And this time I decided to approach a unique set, one that I have had for some time. It’s a bucket set produced by COG Ltd called Cool Reptiles–as will be seen in part 2, this name is a major misnomer (this is when the term “herptile” would be so handy)…Today, I am going to look over the reptiles.
Common Kingfisher (Playmobil)
4 (4 votes)
Review and photographs by stargatedalek; edited by bmathison1972
While often regarded as the underdog of the two, especially by adult collectors, I have found consistently that Playmobil boasts a quality and variety of sculpts that LEGO simply can’t match, at least when it comes to the zoological variety! Where Playmobil has at least a half dozen molds of sportfish alone, LEGO will use the same mold for a bass and a flounder.
Bat (Wild Animals by Papo)
5 (3 votes)
After rodents, bats, which make up about 20% of all mammal species, form the second largest mammalian order, Chiroptera. Consequently, many bat figures (although not quite as many as the size of the group would suggest) have been made over the years, with one of the more recent attempts being Papo’s first, and so far only, bat figure, released in 2018, which is also the subject of this review.
Wolverine (NWF Dairy Queen promo by Toy Major)
3.8 (4 votes)
It’s a bit of a chunky boi
Today I’m looking at a figure of a very familiar animal–from a rather obscure line! It’s the famous (infamous?) wolverine, Gulo gulo (Linnaeus, 1758). If we want to be really sub-specific, it’s meant to be Gulo gulo gulo, the Eurasian wolverine, if the differences between Eurasian and North American populations are different enough.
Périgord Goose (Farm Life by Papo)
4.7 (3 votes)
On Thanksgiving I presented a turkey for the Blog, so it makes sense on Christmas I would present a goose, a bird traditionally served on this holiday. Depending on the location or culture, three are several traditional Christmas ‘meats’. In my household growing up we ate beef, and when I lived in the Czech Republic for grad school, carp was the traditional Christmas meal.
Reindeer, adult and calf (Wildlife by Mojö Fun)
4.4 (8 votes)
Review and photos by Saarlooswolfhound; edited by bmathison1972
The Mojo Fun reindeer adult and calf, numbers #387186 and #387188 respectively, were released as new products in 2019. They are included in Mojo Fun’s Wildlife range of models. The adult measures at about L-13 W-7 H-13 cm and the calf is L-9 W-2 H-6 cm.
Northern Angler Collection (Toy Fish Factory)
4.3 (4 votes)
Recently I discussed the new Gulf Coast Collection from the Toy Fish Factory released. Now I’m taking the opportunity to discuss the other new set, the Northern Angler Collection.
The good news is that you can click that link and get all of the background you need on Toy Fish Factory.
Black Wolf (Wild Safari North American Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)
4.3 (6 votes)
Review and photos by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Melanism is a condition that causes an increased presence of dark pigmentation, such as when leopards and jaguars are born black or nearly black in colour. At some undetermined point in time after humans had bred the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) into existence, some of those dogs ended up breeding with their ancestors, grey wolves (wild-type C.