There are criminally few toys of hummingbirds, which are surely some of the most beloved and extraordinary birds across the Americas. Perhaps their diminutive size and delicate forms intimidate toy manufacturers, or maybe they just get bad luck of the draw when new releases are chosen. Whatever the cause, toy companies have left a vacuum in this corner of bird collectibles; so any new contribution is to be welcomed.
Mini North American Animals Figurine Playset (Toymany)
5 (4 votes)
Before I start this Blogpost, I must again thank @Kenc and the folks at Toymany for donating this review sample. It is very much appreciated. As with other Toymany set reviews, this is a general overview to introduce the animal toy community to the set and does not prevent others from doing more in-depth reviews of individual figures.
Marine Iguana (Incredible Creatures by Safari Ltd.)
5 (8 votes)
A large lizard, with spikes along its back, that dwells in the Pacific Ocean. No, I’m not talking about Godzilla, I’m talking about the marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), the world’s only marine lizard. It’s about as close to a real Godzilla as you can get. In fact, one of its many subspecies is named A.
Gentoo Penguin (Sealife by CollectA)
5 (9 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) is the third largest living species of penguin after the emperor and king penguins respectively. It is found on various islands around Antarctica and the southern tip of South America, but has also been found as far as New Zealand and Tasmania.
Elephant Seal (Mojö Sealife by Mojö Fun)
4.6 (16 votes)
Also known as sea elephants, the seals of the genus Mirounga are the largest pinnipeds in the world. Two species have been described. The northern elephant seal (M. angustirostris) and the southern elephant seal (M. leonina). Northerns live in the eastern Pacific Ocean, in the northern hemisphere.
Insects TOOB (Safari Ltd.)
3.8 (8 votes)
I have recently reacquired the Safari Ltd. Insects TOOB and thought I would showcase it for the Blog. There have been at least three (maybe more) iterations of this TOOB over the years, with I believe the first version coming out in 2004. At some point (I don’t know what year) Safari also released a glow-in-the-dark version of the TOOB.
Mini Insects Vol. 1 (Diversity of Life on Earth by Bandai)
3.7 (3 votes)
In 2022, Bandai started a series of miniatures in their Diversity of Life of Earth line. The first set is the one we will be looking at today, Mini Insects Volume 1. It would be followed by Volumes 2 (which has already been reviewed by Fembrogon) and 3 (which I plan to tackle later), both released in 2023.
Cougar, cub (Baby Wildlife by Toymany)
5 (5 votes)
It’s about time that I get the other half of this baby set from Toymany up on the blog! My portion of this set covers the animals from Asia and North America and will reflect the other half of the figures from Africa that have been covered by my fellow reviewer, bmathison1972.
Phantasmal Poison Frog (Wild Animals by Papo)
5 (6 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The phantasmal poison frog (Epipedobates bicolor) is native to the Andean slopes of central Ecuador, where it typically dwells in leaf litter near streams of tropical dry forests. It is sometimes appropriately called the candy cane frog due to its coloration.
Black Jaguars Family Playset (Toymany)
5 (3 votes)
Before I begin my review, I must thank @Kenc and the folks at Toymany for providing this review sample for the Blog.
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a species that needs little introduction. It is an apex predator in Latin America, ranging from the extreme southern USA to central South America.
Rockhopper Penguin (Wild Safari Sealife by Safari Ltd.)
4.8 (5 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) is a small crested penguin that inhabits small sub-Antarctic islands as well as the lower tip of South America. Some experts consider there to be three species: eastern, northern, and southern. Others, however, argue that these are just varieties of the same species.
Three-banded Armadillo (TST Advance)
4.3 (6 votes)
Review and images by Sam; edited by bmathison1972
Three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes sp.) are truly remarkable creatures. They are known for its ability to roll into a complete ball when threatened, and are the only armadillo species that are capable of this, contrary to popular belief. They are closely related to sloths and anteaters in the superorder Xenarthra.