Bowhead Whale (CollectA - Sea Life)

[brontodocus]

Walk-around of the CollectA Sea Life 2014 Bowhead Whale, Balaena mysticetus Linnaeus, 1758; item No. 88652. Total length is approx. 233 mm, so the scale is between approx. 1:52 and 1:86. The human figure (man packaged with Triceratops from the Kaiyodo CapsuleQ Museum Dinosaur Model set) is a little over 24 mm high (excluding the base) and approx. 1:70 - 1:80 scale. Being the first internationally protected animal species, the Bowhead Whale population fortunately recovered from being hunted close to extinction about 100 years ago to a stable population of approx. 5,000-8,000 individuals today and is listed as "Least Concern" by IUCN.
It's quite remarkable that collectors witness the release of two Bowhead Whale figures this year, one by CollectA and one by Safari Ltd / WS Sealife - not only because good figures of balaenid whales in general and Bowhead Whales in particular are very scarce (the only other two figures I'm aware of are the much smaller versions by Kaiyodo Red Data Animals and Play Visions) but also because both figures are very similar in size. Yet they have some differences. While the matte colour of the CollectA may be more appealing the Safari Ltd is the (slightly) more accurate sculpt - CollectA's version here has a head that's more reminiscent of the Right Whales of the closely related genus Eubalaena (notch behind nostril less pronounced, mouthline less arched and less evenly rounded). Still both figures are very good (e.g. the upper jaws are quite narrow, something many figure makers got wrong in balaenid whale figures) and a major step forward for collectors of marine life figures.
Here is a link to the figure at CollectA's website: http://www.collecta.biz/en/collections/sea-life/88652














Edit 2017-02-07: Fixed broken image urls.

[Jetoar]

Really awesome replica  . I believe that it is better than Safari replica even. I like it a lot  .

[brontodocus]

many thanks, Jetoar!  I favour the Safari Ltd version but still this is a figure I'd highly recommend.

[widukind]

A beautieful figurine too 

[AwkwardNar]

my very own comes in the mail tomorrow or so. CollectA has done it again.

[brontodocus]

Images of CollectA Bowhead Whale have returned.