North America – Page 9 – Animal Toy Blog

Gray Wolf, mother and pups (Boxed Sets of Wild Life by Schleich)

Name(s): Canis, Canis lupus, gray wolf Brand: Schleich Classification: Carnivorans, Dogs, Mammals Type: Baby Animal, Figurine, Set Range: Asia, Europe, North America

3.7 (3 votes)

Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972

Wolves (Canis lupus) are burdened with an unjustly sinister reputation for a variety of reasons and one is the centuries-old myth of werewolves. One most frightful tale is that of Peter Stubbe, ‘the Werewolf of Bedburg.’ In 1589, he confessed under torture to having received a wolfskin belt from the Devil that allowed him to transform into “the likeness of a greedy, devouring wolf, strong and mighty, with eyes great and large, which in the night sparkled like fire, a mouth great and wide, with most sharp and cruel teeth, a huge body, and mighty paws.” I will not go on to describe the many horrific crimes Stubbe committed, or the equally horrific punishment that was meted out to him on October 31, but suffice it to say, you shouldn’t read the entire story if you’re squeamish.

Chain Kingsnake (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)

Name(s): chain kingsnake, Lampropeltis, Lampropeltis getula Brand: Incredible Creatures, Safari Ltd. Classification: Reptiles, Snakes Type: Figurine Range: North America

4.7 (3 votes)

Continuing onwards with our look at creepy creatures all through October, I present to you… a snake. Snakes as a group are among the most feared and misunderstood creatures on the planet, two adjectives that often go hand-in-hand. As such, snakes are synonymous with Halloween and an obvious choice for review during spooky season.

Giant Anteater (Wild Life America by Schleich)

Name(s): giant anteater, Myrmecophaga, Myrmecophaga tridactyla Brand: Schleich Classification: Mammals, Sloths, Anteaters & Armadillos Type: Figurine Range: North America, South America

3.5 (11 votes)

The evolution and adaptation of one group can result in a burst of adaptation in other, completely different ones. Take the adaptation of eusocial insects, forming colonies, hives and the like. This is a largely Cenozoic adaptation, not well documented before the extinction of the dinosaurs. Forming together can help, but it can be the opportunity for a feeding frenzy for another.

Carolina Mantis (Insect Predators by Trendmasters)

Name(s): Carolina mantis, Stagmomantis, Stagmomantis carolina Brand: Trendmasters Classification: Arthropods, Insects, Orthopteroids Type: Figurine Range: North America

3.5 (2 votes)

Collectors of figures and memorabilia from the Godzilla franchise should be familiar with Trendmasters. But did you know they released a series of ‘Insect Predators’ in 1993? Well, they did! The series consisted of a scorpion (unidentified, but presumably the emperor scorpion, Pandinus imperator), the giant stag beetle (Lucanus elaphas), a ‘killer’ bee (Apis mellifera), a wasp (Bembix americana), a mosquito (Aedes taeniorhynchus), and the subject of today’s review, the Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina).

American White Pelican (Wings of the World by Safari Ltd.)

Name(s): American white pelican, Pelecanus, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Brand: Safari Ltd., Wings of the World Classification: Birds, Pelicans, Herons & Kins Type: Figurine Range: North America

4.2 (5 votes)

The American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) is one of the largest birds in North America. Measuring 4-6’ (1.2-1.8 meters) in length, only the trumpeter swan matches it in length. With a wingspan of 8-10’ (2.4- 3 meters), only the California condor has a wider spread. Such a wingspan is required because the white pelican is also a heavy bird, weighing 11-20 lbs.

Crabs (Habitat Earth by Play Visions)

4 (4 votes)

Today is a review of the complete set of Crabs by Play Visions, Habitat Earth series (1996). Another in the taxonomically-diverse sets of animals released by Play Visions in the mid-late 1990s. I have made some taxonomic changes to a couple figures in this set since I first presented it on the ATF back in 2016, so it seems like a good time to introduce it to the Blog!

Anhinga (Wings of the World by Safari Ltd.)

Name(s): Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga Brand: Safari Ltd., Wings of the World Classification: Birds, Pelicans, Herons & Kins Type: Figurine Range: North America, South America

5 (4 votes)

This past week I took a trip to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware, a vast tidal salt marsh that for this summer has provided a home to four wayward roseate spoonbills. Seeing these birds got me wanting to review a spoonbill, but alas, I don’t have one. Instead, I’ll settle on another water bird from the American deep south, the anhinga (Anhinga anhinga).

Sunflower Sea Star (Animals with Superpowers by Yowie Group)

Name(s): Pycnopodia, Pycnopodia helianthoides, Sunflower sea star Brand: Cadbury/Yowie Group Classification: Echinoderms Type: Figurine Range: North America, Pacific Ocean

4.7 (3 votes)

Thanks once again to Yowie Group and their penchant for producing some truly obscure animal toys I am now able to double the number of reviews for echinoderms on the Animal Toy Blog. Yes, as of this writing there is only one other review for a group that contains over 7,000 species.

American Alligator (Wild Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)

Name(s): Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, American alligator Brand: Safari Ltd., Wildlife Wonders/Wild Wildlife Classification: Alligators & Crocodiles, Reptiles Type: Figurine Range: North America

4.6 (12 votes)

The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is not only a symbol of the American southeast, but also of American conservation. Due to overhunting and habitat loss during the 1800’s through the mid 1900’s the species was listed as endangered in 1967. Then a mere 20 years later, in 1987, it was pronounced fully recovered.

Nurse Shark (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)

Name(s): Ginglymostoma, Ginglymostoma cirratum, Nurse shark Brand: Safari Ltd., Wild Safari Sealife Classification: Fish, Sharks, Rays & Kin Type: Figurine Range: Africa, Atlantic Ocean, Europe, North America, Pacific Ocean, South America

4.2 (5 votes)

Well, this upcoming week is Shark Week (and Shark Fest was last week, apparently) so here’s our mandatory shark review to celebrate the event. Not that we need an excuse to review sharks, we appreciate sharks all year long around here. Counting this review, I’ve now covered a baker’s dozen cartilaginous fishes.

Elk, 2013 bull (Wild Safari North American Wildlife by Safari Ltd.)

Name(s): Cervus, Cervus canadensis, Elk Brand: Safari Ltd., Wild Safari Wildlife Classification: Deer, Mammals Type: Figurine Range: Asia, North America

3.8 (6 votes)

Review and images by Cachalot; edited by bmathison1972

The American elk, Cervus canadensis – not to be confused with European elk, Alces alces, which is the moose of the New World. It is actually more closely related to the red deer, Cervus elaphus.

American Bald Eagle (Wings of the World by Safari Ltd.)

Name(s): American bald eagle, Haliaeetus, Haliaeetus leucocephalus Brand: Safari Ltd., Wings of the World Classification: Birds, Birds of Prey Type: Figurine Range: North America

4.1 (9 votes)

Review and images by Takama; edited by bmathison1972

Editor’s Note: In honor of Independence Day, we are transferring over a walk-around of an iconic American animal, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).

Ok, in the fall and early winter, bald eagles migrate from the south to make there nests in my area of the Mississippi River.

Atlantic Goliath Grouper (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)

Name(s): Atlantic goliath grouper, Epinephelus, Epinephelus itajara Brand: Incredible Creatures, Safari Ltd. Classification: Fish, Grouper Type: Figurine Range: Africa, Atlantic Ocean, North America, South America

5 (5 votes)

The Atlantic goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) is appropriately named, this fish is an absolute brute, a monster, a behemoth. It’s the kind of fish that looks bigger than it rightfully should be. We expect large sizes from sharks, tuna, and billfishes but this fish has a very conventional “fishy” body plan, like you would see in smaller perches, cichlids, or basses, only it is blown up to absurd proportions.

Butterflies of the World Collectors Case (Safari Ltd.)

3.5 (2 votes)

This is a review of the complete Butterflies of the World set as part of Safari LTD’s Collectors Case series. The undersides of the figures are not detailed, so an overall review of the set seemed more valuable then doing reviews for individual figures. This is one of three butterfly sets by Safari.

Lemon Shark (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)

Name(s): Lemon shark, Negaprion, Negaprion brevirostris Brand: Safari Ltd., Wild Safari Sealife Classification: Fish, Sharks, Rays & Kin Type: Figurine Range: Africa, Atlantic Ocean, North America, Pacific Ocean, South America

4 (5 votes)

Lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) are a tough, adaptable, nearshore species, found along the eastern coast of the United States, south to southern Brazil as well as the western shore of the Americas from Baja to Ecuador, in addition to the western coast of Africa. Because of their hardiness and accessibility, they’ve been heavily studied by many prominent shark scientists.

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