The Curious Compendium 2023: Great danes!

[Saarlooswolfhound]

African elephants!






There are 2 subspecies: Savannah and Forest. The savannah have curved backs and tusks and are rather less hairy, while forest elephants have straight backs and tusks and are more hairy. In the areas where they converge, they sometimes interbreed!

[EpicRaptorMan]

Looks good. Are there any figures that well represent the L. cyclotis; the African Forest Elephant?

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I am in no way an expert, but my thoughts are, yes. The main traits I mention (African have sloping and rounded backs, forest have a straighter "level" back between the shoulders and hips (theres still the downward curve, but the legs are more even in height) and then the tusks.

Just looking at mine, the AAA models all appear to show this. The figure in the last photo behind the small yowie is a chinamal I repainted. My intention was a forest elephant as it has the smaller ears and straight back. But I suppose this "best representation" is up to the collector.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Caracals and an African golden cat!



African golden cats change the color of their fur from golden tawny brown to gray when in captivity. This change usually begins after about 4 months and scientists don't yet know why it happens.

[Isidro]

What is the fourth caracal from left to right - second from right to left? I discarded Schleich one due to excessive size, this one could fit my needs but maybe is just too small - an intermediate one would be ideal.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

You are either referring to the Yowies US (front) or PV (back) caracals.

[Isidro]

Thanks, is the Play Visions one (I feel that the Yowies one have worse proportions, especially too short and thick legs), but after seeing some close up images of it, I think the level of quality don't fit my collecting needs. Thanks a lot for the information!

[Saarlooswolfhound]

No problem my friend. In my opinion, none of these are "fantastic" models of a caracal. Maybe some day Papo or Safari or something will make one.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Giraffes are next!











Fun fact, these animals aided in space travel! Because a giraffe calf goes from floating in Mom's womb to walking withing an hour of birth, their leg veins quickly inflate with blood and work hard to get the calf upright and walking quickly. In space, astronauts circulatory system can weaken due to the change in gravity (the heart doesn't have to work as hard to circulate blood). Various space agencies have used secrets from the giraffe to improve this issue for modern astronauts!

[EpicRaptorMan]

Giraffe's "horns" are called ossicones and are made from ossified cartilage. The uses of these protrusions isn't entirely known.

Giraffes also have 7 cervical (neck) vertebrae which is the same as many other animals; dogs, cats, humans.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Yes! The only confirmed use of the ossicones is for males to fight with. Also, if one hasn't seen yet, look up giraffe skeletons; the vertebrae are huge! Back in college we discussed an arrangement of blood vessels they have to get blood to the brain. I can't remember the specifics but in most mammals the vein goes a certain route. In giraffe evolution, it would have made more sense to reroute this vessel given the distance and move around a particular obstacle, but it hasn't! It still loops around it and up to the head. I will try to remember the particulars of this story...

[yourbeckquin]

That's fascinating! Giraffes' ossicones being primarily used for male fights is intriguing. I'll definitely look up giraffe skeletons to see the massive vertebrae. The unique arrangement of blood vessels that supply blood to their brains sounds intriguing too. It's interesting how, despite the logical need to reroute the vessel, it still follows the original path. I'd love to hear more about the specifics if you remember the story.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Aha!!! Not a blood vessel, my mistake in memory recall, but a nerve that loops down under a blood vessel near their heart, and then back up! In humans this path is only about 5 inches long, but in a giraffe it is approx. 6 feet down, and then 6 feet back!

Here is a blog post discussing it. The video is highly educational but I will WARN YOU it is for the strong of stomach. I watched it back in  college and being of the slightly squeamish disposition it still gets to me if I think too much on it.
https://timpanogos.blog/2011/10/08/evidence-of-evolution-giraffes-laryngeal-nerve/

[Saarlooswolfhound]

African leopards!






My fun fact to share is that because this species is so widely distributed, there are variations in coats. Desert dwelling cats will be paler than others (makes sense) but more curiously, the rosettes shape is different! In East Africa the rosettes are patterned in a more circular shape, while in South Africa they are more square in presentation!

[EpicRaptorMan]

I have a black panther that I kinda want to replace (not present here) so I'll use these photos to mull it over.

I have the Schleich leopard (top photo, bottom row, second over)

[bmathison1972]

My African leopard is by CollectA. I also have the 2021 Safari black leopard, but I am using that for the Indian subspecies, since the black morphotype is more common in Indian and Southeast Asian populations than African populations.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

If I were a synoptic collector, I too would go with the most recent Safari melanistic (its not flat black, it has areas where it is a rich dark brown with spots visible) and the recent CollectA model.

[EpicRaptorMan]

Just checked. I have the 2006 Black Panther. Which has a pretty goofy face.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Here is the Safari, I dug up my photos from when I got him. I would say its miles above the one you mention (though as you can see, I have it also).

[Isidro]

My fun fact to share is that because this species is so widely distributed, there are variations in coats. Desert dwelling cats will be paler than others (makes sense) but more curiously, the rosettes shape is different! In East Africa the rosettes are patterned in a more circular shape, while in South Africa they are more square in presentation!

And don't forget Amur ones have very long fur, that also enter in the variation of coat of the species.