Safari Ltd 2019 Collection Preview - Incredible Creatures
We’ve talked in our previous preview blogs about our 2019 Safari Ltd dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures, as well as about our 2019 mythical creatures and dragons…but what about real animals that are alive today? While we haven’t revealed much from our 2019 Safari Ltd Wild Safari or Wildlife Wonders collections, we have shown some of our scaled Incredible Creatures. Let’s take a closer look at what’s been revealed so far as we get geared up to unveil our entire line-up.
Pangolin
Pangolins are fascinating mammals of the order Pholidota. While their long snouts are similar to those of anteaters, and their armor-like plates resemble those of armadillos, they are not closely related to either. Their closest relatives are actually the order Carnivora, which includes dogs, cats, bears, hyenas, and seals.
There are eight species of pangolin, and all of them are threatened. They are the most highly trafficked mammal in the entire world, and are also illegally hunted for their meat and their unique scales. Some cultures believe that these scales have medicinal properties and can cure diseases. While this is not true, it hasn’t stopped the demand for scales, which threatens the pangolin population.
Pangolins use their sharp claws to dig for their favorite food – insects. They find them with their keen sense of smell. All pangolin species but one are nocturnal, meaning they’re mostly active at night. Some like to live in trees, while others live in burrows underground. In both cases, their claws help them to get around by climbing or digging.
The largest species of pangolin is the giant ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantean). The actual creature can grow up to nearly 5 feet long, though our Incredible Creatures Pangolin figure is significantly smaller. This pangolin species is considered “vulnerable” and lives in Western Africa. For our 2019 Safari Ltd collection, we wanted to highlight the plight of the pangolin, to raise awareness of the threats these unique creatures face.
The Burmese python is one of the largest species of snake in the world. While it is native to Southern Asia, it is an invasive species in the United States, particularly South Florida, the home of Safari Ltd. These large snakes have infiltrated the Everglades and have severely depleted many native mammal species, and even compete with large alligators.
This reptile is a popular pet animal, but when pets escape or are released into the wild, they can create breeding populations which throw off the balance of the native wildlife. Many times, people do not properly secure their pet snakes, or are not prepared for the responsibility involved in owning a large snake, and so the animal breaks free or is discarded and becomes a part of the “feral” population.
The new 2019 Safari Ltd Incredible Creatures albino Burmese python is based on a popular color morph favored by breeders. Through selective breeding, pythons can exhibit unique desired colors and patterns on their scales. Though this particular color morph is most commonly referred to as “albino”, the term is not exactly accurate. An albino animal lacks pigment entirely. In mammals, melanin is the pigment responsible for color in fur or skin. Reptiles, however, feature other color-producing pigments, meaning that a python lacking melanin is not a true “albino”, as yellow and peach colors are able to show through on their scales. The accurate term for such an animal is “amelanistic”, though “albino” is still the most frequently used term in the pet trade.
Our 2019 albino Burmese python figure is full of all the detail our fans have come to expect from our Incredible Creatures, joining its fellow snakes - including 2018’s corn snake and 2017’s boa constrictor. With its intricate sculpt and unique color details, this snake figure is one of our most striking Incredible Creatures ever!
Chinchilla
Another animal that’s popular in the unusual pet market is the chinchilla. In the wild, both of the two chinchilla species – the long-tailed and short-tailed chinchillas – are endangered. However, the long-tailed variety has been domesticated, though they are challenging pets and require a high level of care.
Chinchillas are known for their soft fur, which is the densest coat of all land animals. These rodents were hunted nearly to extinction for their fur, which is used to line clothing. A third chinchilla species was driven completely extinct. Once found in Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia, these rodents are now found exclusively in the high elevation coastal areas of Chile.
Safari Ltd’s 2019 Incredible Creatures chinchilla figure requires far less responsibility and care than a live chinchilla, but it looks almost like the real thing! Its dynamic pose shows off its highly detailed sculpt, from its perky ears to its tiny feet.
This is just a small sample of what Safari Ltd has to offer in 2019. Stay tuned for more reveals, and our full product launch in the coming weeks! If you want to know where to buy 2019 Safari Ltd toys, keep checking our site and our social media pages, because we'll be unveiling the rest of our 2019 figures very soon!