The Curious Compendium 2023: Donkeys!

[Isidro]

The one at the right of the photo looks like more a lynx than a tanuki
I wish the Kaiyodo one for my collection

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Yes, PEC had a few good models but several miss the mark don't they?

[bmathison1972]

PEC's best stuff are knock-offs of others'     

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Indeed Blaine! It is interesting to compare the OGs with the knock offs.

[Fembrogon]

That's quite a few tanuki! I'm pleasantly surprised. Do you have a favorite out of the bunch, one you'd recommend the most?

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Oh, that is a hard question... I think my favorite honestly is my custom painted figure (it was a Nayab Raccoon... the feet were more paw-like than hand-like for a proper raccoon). But, since that figure is unique to my own collection... probably the PV would be favorite.

The PEC is a bit too wonky, the Kaiyodo-Furuta is nice but a rather static pose (like a taxidermy work) , the Ikimon is lovely but very small. The PV here at least has some motion and a nice sculpt.

Of the ones on the market, the Eikoh is really nice. Or the Kaiyodo cQM is great too. I would like to add both to my collection someday.

[Gwangi]

Hmmm, I'm not too taken by any of these. Seems like a species that Safari, Papo, or CollectA should tackle. The Kaiyodo(?) one is decent though, I like that one best.

[bmathison1972]

There are more options; I suggest the Kaiyodo Capsule Q Tokyo version (unless that's the one Paige is showing here)

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I have the Kaiyodo Furuta model, IMO the Capsule model is much nicer sculpt wise.

[bmathison1972]

@Fembrogon - I features the Capsule version in my museum here

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Tigers!









Fun fact... It has been reported on numerous occassions that tigers sometimes can mimic the bleating call of a sambar deer to lure it closer. Currently, there is no scientific documentation of this phenomenon, but it is a curious idea...

[bmathison1972]

interesting; all those tigers and I don't see the 2016 Papo version, which is what I have (unless I'm missing it here)! There are a couple I like more, but they are too small for me

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Do you mean this one? https://toyanimalwiki.mywikis.wiki/wiki/Papo_50208_Standing_Tiger

If so, it is there, on the far right od pic 2. I have his mini-me cub also.

[bmathison1972]

No this one: https://toyanimalwiki.mywikis.wiki/wiki/Papo_50004_Tiger

TAI says it's from 2005; maybe I have the date wrong lol (unless mine is a 2016 re-release)

[Sable Antelope]

Seeing all those dingoes, wouldn't it be cool if there was a figure released in black and tan or the white sandy colors?

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I see Blaine, I have the young cub from a mistaken shipment (they sent the wrong cub) and I think I should get his original parent sometime.

I would love any excuse to get new dingoes.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Tibetan wolf and sand fox.



My fun fact is for the sand fox. They are commonly known as the least territorial species of canines as well as the most cooperative. Not only do they hunt in mated pairs (sharing kills of plateau pikas), hunting territories often overlap significantly (sightings of multiple pairs of foxes hunting the same area simultaneously have happened!), but they have also been spotted as teaming up with bears and other local predators to make successful predations. This in turn has led them to be one of the most successfull canine hunters!

[Isidro]

I didn't knew about these social features of Tibetan foxes! However I think that it's arguable to say that is the most cooperative canine. African wild dogs that hunts in large packs where each member have a specific role for hunting large prey are indeed more cooperative than a fox that hunts just in pairs and occasionally associates with other large predators.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Fair point! But my counter argument, would be that in other canines, especially the wild dogs you mention, are usually family groups. Thus there is a genetic reason to 1) be socially bonded, and 2) be bonded for survivability (of each individual but also the genetic line). Contrarily, although these are bonded pairs of foxes, the fact that they share significant portions of land and prey not only with other foxes but also other predators like the Himalayan bears is significant. In theory that undercuts the survivability of the pair. But in reality, it boosts it by further improving their hunting success with each attempt. This version of cooperation is unique mostly because it crosses species borders though, it is active collaboration rather than a passive tolerance of behavior between species.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Next up are my snow leopards.



Fact, we thought there was only 1 species for a long time. However, we recently discovered that there are 3! I believe this was published in 2017 from genetic studies of samples in the wild.