It was an early spring evening in 1999, in central New York. I was doing what I did most evenings back then, sitting quietly on the bank of an active beaver pond with a VHS camcorder in hand, waiting for whatever wildlife might stroll by. Off in the distance I could hear a pack of coyotes (Canis latrans), a chorus of high-pitched barks and yips.
Spiny Lobster (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)
5 (4 votes)
Walk-around of the California spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus (Randall, 1840) by Safari LTD, Incredible Creatures, released in 2018. The figure is not marketed at the species level, but given its morphology, color, and that it was originally hinted at being North American, P. interruptus is the most-likely candidate.
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
4.4 (7 votes)
The Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) is a member of the family Delphinidae that can be found in temperate and tropical waters throughout the Atlantic. Calves are born unspotted, and spots don’t appear until 3-4 years of age, on average. More spots appear as the dolphin ages and physically mature dolphins have the heaviest spotting, although the amount of spotting can still vary between individuals.
Tiger Salamander (Wild Republic by K&M International)
4.5 (2 votes)
Review and images by stemturtle; edited by bmathison1972
Eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum (K&M). Length is 10.5 inches or 27 cm.
This figure is made of soft rubber. The paint did not hold up well to my granddaughter’s play, so I touched-up the green spots.
Appaloosa Stallion, Blue Roan (Horse Country by CollectA)
5 (5 votes)
Review and images by Harecraft Horses; edited by bmathison1972
This is, as I’m sure all CollectA horse fans will recognise, an older mould re-released in a brand new colour for 2022.
Here he is alongside two of the older releases on the mould; the original Black Appaloosa Stallion from 2010, and the Buckskin Appaloosa (sometimes listed as Light Brown Appaloosa Stallion) from 2021.
Collared Lizard (Conservation Critters by Wildlife Artists, Inc.)
4.3 (4 votes)
Review and images by Febrogon; edited by bmathison1972
Dogs, cats, and teddy bears tend to be the general preference for people wanting a stuffed animal; but I’m the sort of person who would rather cuddle a giant squid or lizard if given the chance. Naturally, good plush toys of creatures like reptiles are relatively less common, so I couldn’t help my attention being grabbed by a very nice-looking collared lizard on the shelf of the gift shop while visiting the Zion National Park last year.
Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
5 (6 votes)
With its distinctive, sharply contrasting mix of gray, black, blue, white, and yellow coloration, the Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus) is one of the ocean’s most attractive species of dolphin. And yet, it is not terribly popular with toy manufacturers which tend to focus on the far more popular but somewhat bland bottlenose dolphin.
Salmon Shark (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
5 (9 votes)
It’s Shark Week once again, the Discovery Channel’s weeklong marathon of shark documentaries that has been 34 years running. So popular is Shark Week that it’s practically a national holiday here in the United States. National Geographic has gotten in on the action too with their own Shark Fest which celebrates the cartilaginous fishes with an entire month of shark content this year.
Razorback Sucker (Marsh Education by Safari Ltd.)
5 (6 votes)
It is my great pleasure today to introduce my readers to one of my holy grail collectibles, the razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) by Safari Ltd. This figure is one of a set of 6 produced by Safari Ltd. for the Marsh & Associates Native Fish Lab, all of which represent endangered fishes native to Arizona, USA.
Keel-billed Toucan (Wings of the World by Safari Ltd.)
4.4 (7 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The toucans of Central and South America are some of the most unmistakable birds in the world thanks to their enormous bills and vivid colours. The beautiful keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus), also known as the rainbow-billed or sulphur-breasted toucan, is perhaps the most iconic member of this family.
Bee Hummingbird, pair (1/1 Bee Hummingbirds by SO-TA)
5 (2 votes)
The bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is the world’s small extant bird, possibly the smallest bird ever known (but I am not up-to-date on the full extent of the avian fossil record). It is endemic to Cuba and its surrounding islands, especially the Zapata swamp in the eastern part of the island.
Old World Swallowtail, adult and caterpillar (Wild Animals by Papo)
5 (3 votes)
While commonly referred to as the ‘Old World swallowtail’, Papilio machaon has a very wide distribution, widest of any of the Papilionidae, covering most of the Palearctic and into western North America. Part of the species’ success is its tolerance for a variety of habitats and host plants. The butterfly can be found in forests, grasslands, hilltops, Alpine meadows, tundra, wetlands, disturbed areas, parks, and gardens.