Wonderful bald eagles - from our collection to yours!

This plastic American bald eagle replic is only the latest in a wonderful series of bald eagles we sell at Tapir and Friends Animal Store. Check them out! We have plastic eagle replicas, bald eagle jewelry, and even a stuffed bald eagle. Consider them collectibles, toys, or gifts. . . .

You can feel confident purchasing via our secure shopping cart and secure online checkout system. We ship within one or two days of receiving your order, and it should only take two to four days for you to receive it after you place the order!

Sabertooth Cat Puzzle and Saber-toothed Cat Plastic Replica

Saber tooth cats are among the most recognized and popular of all the Ice Age animals. Fearsome predators, these cats roamed the earth thousands of years ago, using their enormous canine teeth to defend themselves in that competitive environment and to bring down their Ice Age prey. We have sabertooth cats in our store in two different styles: a challenging 3-D plastic puzzle seen above, and a lifelike model or replica (no assembly needed) shown below.

The more scientifically-accurate name for the sabertooth is the smilodon. The smilodon, or saber tooth cat (sometimes also called saber-tooth tiger), roamed parts of North and South America around the time of the last Ice Age. The most familiar is Smilodon fatalis, of which many remains have been found in the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits. It became extinct about 11,000 years ago.

Today the smilodon is extinct, and we can only imaging how one really looked, the color and markings of its coat, the way it moved, or what it would be like to look into its eyes the way we can with big cats in zoos today.

Your purchase helps preserve living animals (specifically tapirs and other animals in their habitat areas). Conservation efforts attempt to give them a chance to avoid the onrush of extinction that we are seeing all around us today. It's frightening to think that so many of the animals we know and love may not last another generation or a human lifetime. Many that the adults of today grew up with, or that our parents grew up with, are already gone or are perilously close to extinction.

On the other hand, conservation can work! In some cases, extreme conservation efforts have been able to increase the numbers. One success story is the American bison. A success story in the making is that of the California condor. Many familiar animals that we know and love are facing challenges that could wipe them from the earth - for instance, polar bears, walruses, and even tigers. The more we learn about the animals, the more we care, the more we can do to help preserve the amazing animals that still roam the Earth.

Happy Customer Report: Soon this plastic piranha will have a new home!

Our turnaround is so fast you barely have a chance to blink. We usually ship your order the day we get it, and we ship by US Priority Mail in the US, which means that it takes no longer to reach the East Coast than it does to reach nearby cities and towns (we're located at the far northwest of Oregon).

If the box leaves our store for the 5 p.m. mail, it reaches Portland, Oregon, sometime that night. In many cases, it's on the plane that night. Of course, we don't see the package to follow its route, but typically it will be delivered as quickly to Boston as to Los Angeles, even though one is a continent away. If you live in a peripheral, or small zip code area, it may add a day to the delivery time on your end. That's why we say that your order is "usually delivered in two to four days" from the time you place it with us. And all this is for a minimum shipping and handling fee of $6.50 on an order of $20.00 or less. A larger order will cost a little more. We use the Post Office rather than UPS, because ground shipping may take a week to travel across the country. We like quick service, and so you do you!

Kevin needed this plastic piranha and some other items for his child's school project. After some discussion with Sue (our Customer Expert) about possible deliver dates, he wrote:

November 19, 2009

Just finished up the order, Sue.

Thanks again for your quick replies and speedy service. Now it's up to our friends at the USPS.

Kevin

You can read comments from other happy customers here.

Beautiful hand-painted tiger jewelry (pin)

This beautiful hand-made, hand-painted tiger jewelry was crafted in Washington state, USA. At $29.00, it makes a completely unique gift or keepsake priced that could fit your pocketbook in this difficult economy.

Stuffed Ice Age Woolly Mammoth - yours to cuddle!

STUFFED WOOLLY MAMMOTH

Our popular Fiesta Ice Age Woolly Mammoth stuffed animal makes a great gift any time. It's VERY affordably priced for today's economy, and it's attractive and compelling for any kid to snuggle with - young or old.

Our adorable and affectionate stuffed woolly mammoth is 16 inches long from trunk to tail and stands 10 1/2 inches tall. It has a soft brown furry body, red-brown mane on the top his head, long gentle white tusks and red-brown trunk. It is sewn of soft fabric. This woolly mammoth has a kind and gentle expression. It makes for a thoughtful child's toy or fits nicely in a stuffed animal collection or collection of extinct animals. See our other cool mammoth toys and gifts.

The woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) first roamed the earth 150,000 years ago. The mammoth migrated from Africa northward into Europe, east through the Steppes of Asia, and then into the Arctic. During the Pleistocene Era (Ice Age), when temperatures were so much colder, the woolly mammoth developed thick shaggy hair, special glands to secrete fat to insulate the skin from the cold, and smaller ears and special teeth to grind tundra. The woolly mammoth developed huge curved tusks up to 15 feet long to shovel snow in order to reach tundra and grass below. The woolly mammoth is the most common mammal fossil. Some have been found in Siberia almost completely intact including tissue remnants. It is breathtaking to see the mammoth's skeleton on display in the museum.

Capybara jewelry

Did you know that you can get capybara earrings, pins, and pendants in NINE different colors? And that's only the color of the capy's body. The bead color can be mixed or matched to an almost unlimited degree. Artist and animal-lover Corinna Bechko makes this capybara and a distinctly unique array of other animals out of light-weight aluminum, and she has a bead collection you won't believe. Just choose the colors and the result will be a stunning piece of original art you will not find anywhere else.

Even though our aluminum jewelry is quite affordable, jewelry prices can drive up the shipping cost if you buy in small "herds." Value-based shipping works great for most things, but in order to accommodate the light weight of jewelry and to make it easier on your pocketbook, you'll find a new option in our secure shopping cart: if your order contains only jewelry, click on the "Jewelry Only" shipping rate, and we'll ship as many pieces as you want anywhere in the world for $5.00 per address. Is that a deal?

Come check out our delightful aluminum animal jewelry art by Corinna!

Red Ant Stuffed Animal Toy

Isn't this stuffed red ant attractive? It also comes in black. These affordably-priced unusual stuffed animals can be found at Tapir and Friends Animal Store. Come on over and check them out!

This engaging, realistic-looking stuffed red ant is soft and cuddly. Its body is made of soft plush fabric and shows well-defined segments. The body is red and has large plastic eyes and fine antenna. Our red ant replica has a kindly expression and promises not to bite. This stuffed red ant makes a nice pet, gift, novelty, presentation piece for a school project,or gag gift. See our other ant toys and gifts.

There are over 200 species of red ants, some small and some large. The most common red ant is known as the fire ant. It is a biting ant which grabs on and then stings with a poison called Solenposin. Fire ants live in mounds in moist open area and spend time eating plant material and occasionally a cricket. The colony consists usually of one or more queens, surrounded by drones and workers. The queen can produce up to 1500 eggs in one day.

Your purchase from Tapir and Friends helps us fund wildlife conservation in the field!

Animal 3-D Plastic Puzzles Discontinued - Get Them While They Last!

We hate to see these wonderful animal puzzles disappearing, but that is a fact. They are no longer available to us, having been discontinued by the importer. We've been looking for a new source, but have not found one. These puzzles have been among our top sellers, and they are also wonderful replicas of the real animal. Just the other day we sold out of our zebra puzzle and had to take it offline.

We still have a great selection of puzzles, but almost every day we sell out of one more animal. For instance, today we have only six left of the octopus you see above. If you're looking to find small, affordable, interesting and unique gifts for Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other holiday event, do check out our puzzles before the selection is gone. As of this post, we still have some puzzles left in the general categories of:

Dinosarus
Whale
Coral Reef Animals
Wild (Jungle) Animals
Polar Animals
Endangered Animals
Extinct Animals
Desert Animals
Reptiles

The details on this 3-D puzzle animal toy add another dimension, so you could say it is 4-D (3-D + details)! It is certainly one of the more detailed we have seen, making it an interesting replica as well as a fun toy for adults and children above the age of 3. This colorful octopus measures 4 1/2 inches across its tentacles and is 3 1/2 inches tall. It comes unassembled in a beautiful plastic ice cube. The pieces are cleverly fitted, flexible, and not too difficult to assemble. When completed, this striking octopus sits nicely straight up for display with your favorite treasures. To see our entire inventory of puzzle animals, go to our 3-D Puzzle Animals page. Be sure to look over our other plastic octopus toys and gifts.

Soft Play Hedgehog Toy

Do you know anyone who loves hedgehogs? Come take a look at our adorable ("he's got personality") squishable, non-breakable foam-filled realistic latex hedgehog toy. Not only is he durable when you play with him, but he's not likely to break or damage anything (or any person) when he's tossed across the room.

Our Soft Play Latex Hedgehog

This realistic-looking latex-coated soft play hedgehog is a terrific replica. It is 9 1/2 inches long a nd 4 inches tall.tail. Our hedgehog replica has a hard plastic coating and a soft inner body possibly made of foam. It is an excellent toy for children because it is light weight and durable. It serves as an educational toy for a science project or as a gag or unusual gift. Check out our other hedgehog toys and gifts.

About Hedgehogs

The hedgehog is a small spiny nocturnal mammal which feeds primarily on insects. It gets its name because it is found frequently among hedgerows and has a small pig-like snout. The hedgehog has quills like a porcupine, except that they neither sting nor come free from the hedgehog's body. The hedgehog has actually few predators. Occasionally the hedghog is annoyed by larger mammals such as foxes but, in response, roll up into a little ball to protect its soft belly. The hedgehog controls insect populations, but is vulnerable to agricultural and household pesticides. It lives for about seven years and produces litters of 3-4 at least twice a year. Like many nocturnal creatures, the hedgehog is often run over by cars during the night.

Our very popular plastic MARYLAND BLUE CRAB and RED LOBSTER are back!

Come on over and celebrate! Take a couple home to Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother, your best friend, girlfriend, boyfriend, hubby or wife, your teacher, or even your dog. Need decor for your crab cook or lobster bake? Squishy and adorable, these plastic sea animals are favorites with our customers. Click on the photos to visit each critter, or check them both out on this page of our online store.

Our blue crab and red lobster were so popular they sold right out of inventory. But the good news is . . . guess what? THEY ARE BACK!

Give someone a cute pig nose "Swine Flu" H1N1 - don't give the actual virus!

Did you imagine anyone would make a swine flu virus plush toy? Well, the ever-creative and ever-weird Giantmicrobes did just that.

Our Swine Flu (Influenza A virus H1N1) Plush Stuffed Toy

This imaginative-looking stuffed, plush swine flu (Influenza A virus H1N1) toy is soft and cuddly and is 5 1/2 inches long. It is adorned with red plastic eyes and embroidered nostrils. The surface is washable: Simply sponge with a mixture of warm water and mild soap. Allow to air dry, then brush to restore fabric to its original fullness. (SAFETY PRECAUTION: Remove plastic hangtags and ribbons before giving to a child under 3 years of age.) This stuffed plush swine flu virus replica is a great collectible or makes for a gag gift. Check out our other worm, leech, and virus toys and gifts.

About the Swine Flu (Influenza A virus H1N1)

Swine flu is an influenza virus that usually affects pigs. However, just as the common, seasonal flu that affects humans is constantly mutating (as our immune systems and vaccines compromise weaker strains), swine flu is always trying to improve itself so that it can become more virulent, spread faster - and even associate with better company. Occasionally, a pig-headed virus such as Influenza A (H1 N1) actually succeeds and begins infecting other species - like humans. Naturally, this raises philosophical questions as to whether it is still a swine flu: since it's new, it isn't widespread in the porcine population - and anyway, once it's affecting other species, well. . . . Nevertheless, once a virus such as swine flu makes the jump to another species, the health risks in the new population are substantial. In the original host-population, some immunities generally exist against the original strain, and these immunities are often at least partially effective against new mutations. In a new host, however, there may be no natural immunity to the original strain and no partial immunity to the new strain - so the virus can spread rapidly. In addition, a virus that produces mild effects in one species may be life-threatening in another - so catastrophic health consequences can result. Fortunately, swine flu viruses are generally fragile, and in most cases basic health precautions (such as hand-washing and avoiding close contact with those who are ill) significantly reduce the chance of infection. Nevertheless, the dangers of future mutations and infections will continue to abound until, well, pigs fly.

After all, it's all about animals

Normally on this blog we show you pictures of toy animals (stuffed animals, plastic animas), animal jewelry, decor and gifts. But we believe in conservation of real, living animals, and we also believe that people want to know more about the real species, whether they are in need of conservation or not. Animals are fascinating, and for so many reasons, we love them!

To that end, we've started a project to add photos of real animals to our web site and to link between the real ones and the ones you can buy. Here's a start, and an experimental page to see how the format works for all of us:

Toy sea lions

Real sea lions

Enjoy!

New plastic alligators in our online store

Here's a family of little 'gator hatchlings.

. . . And an alligator handler . . .

. . . And even a swimming alligator viewed from the top! We have quite a few new plastic alligators on board, just the right size for your shoebox diorama or school project.

For example . . .

Our Plastic Toy Alligator with Babies

This realistic-looking plastic alligator with babies miniature is made of somewhat flexible hard plastic. This replica has a detailed face and body and has three babies riding on its back. The alligator is curved and is 2 1/2 inches long.This alligator with babies makes for a nice pet, fits into a shoebox diorama, or serves as a great collectible. Check out our other alligator toys and gifts.

About Alligator Babies

Baby alligators come from a clutch of eggs. The young are born with a sharp front tooth which helps them peck out of the shell. If they are fortunate enough to avoid prey such as hawks, vultures and large lizards on their way to the water, they have a chance of surviving. Most are carried tenderly by their mother in the her mouth down to the water. A baby alligator is called a hatchling.

Popular big stuffed manatee back in stock

Although the middle-sized manatee in the center is now discontinued, we have the large and the small manatees available to ship anywhere in the world. The big manatee continues to be very popular, and you can see why when you try to get your arms around this soft and quite large water-loving animal.

Our Stuffed Manatees

These gentle, realistic-looking stuffed manatees are wonderfully soft and floppy. The bodies, flippers and tail are made of soft plush fabric allowing for lots of movement. The whiskers are made of gray-black thread. Our manatees have a kindly expression and promise to be your friend. This manatee makes a nice pet. Check out our other manatee toys and gifts.

About Manatees

In the wild, there are three species of manatee: (Genus - Trichechus) West Indian, West African, and Amazonian. All three are endangered and protected by international law. They are gentle, slow moving marine mammals which spend most of their time searching underwater for edible plants. They can weigh up to 1,000 pounds and eat about 100 pounds of aquatic plants per day.

They loved our plastic mammoth bones!

Sent: Wed, October 21, 2009 7:27:28 AM
Subject: RE: TAPIR PRESERVATION FUND Customer Receipt/Purchase Confirmation

Good morning,

We received our box this morning and have had great fun putting [the mammoth skeletons] together.

Many thanks!

[LMK]

Bison finger puppet stuffed animal

You could think of this as a cute little stuffed bison (or American buffalo), but it's actually a finger puppet by Folkmanis.

Our Bison Finger Puppet

Our stuffed bison finger puppet is 5 1/2 inches long and is crafted with fine workmanship from Folkmanis. It has a lined pocket to control the head. Its hump, shoulders, and front legs are made with incredibly soft fabric and its feet, horns and nose are made of soft plastic. Our bison makes for an enjoyable toy or pet or fits nicely into a bison collection. This stuffed bison finger puppet may work well for school projects and can be set into a Great Plains or western diorama as well. Be sure to see our other bison toys and gifts.

About Bison

The American bison (Bison bison) is a symbol of the Great Plains of the American West. Countless animals onced roamed freely, but were hunted to near extiction during the 19th century. The bison is known as an even-toed ungulate, meaning a hoofed animal whose weight is borne by the third and fourth toe. Early bison arrived during the Eocene 40 million years ago as grasses began to cover the plains. Later, hunting and gathering societies considered them as a vital meat supplement to their diet. The bison is not born with its characteristic hump or horns but these features develop as the animal matures. The bison lives for about 30 years.

Large plastic seagull new in our store

One of the most popular toy animal replicas is also the hardest to find, so we were thrilled when we discoverd this life-sized plastic seagull on the wing. It's made of hollow plastic and is light-weight, durable, and inexpensive. It's moulded in a flying position with the feet tucked underneath. It can be used as a toy, show-and-tell at school, and for decor around your home, pool, restaurant, or any seaside store or establishment.

Our Seagull

This realistic large plastic seagull is an unusual replica. It is 18 3/4 inches from wingtip to wingtip and 8 1/2 inches from beak to tail. It is made of hard plastic, but is hollow in the center. It has detailed feathers has a painted eye and beak with feet tucked under the tail. It could work well for a school play, marine display, or show-and-tell as a school science project. Or maybe you have a biologist friend or teacher who needs an unusual gift! Check out our other seagull toys and gifts.

About Seagulls

Our beautiful large plastic seagull reminds us that the seagull is a coastal bird that rarely ventures far out into the ocean. Closely related to terns, it is a carnivorous scavenger, which picks at almost anything organic. It loves small fish and crustaceans which it snatches from the surface. It swims on the top of the water, but does not swim underwater. It is an intelligent bird with a myriad of calls and, like most birds, outstanding eyesight. The adult gull is gray and white in color, whereas younger gulls are a mottled light brown. The Pacific gull (Larus pacificus) has a continous presence here at Tapir and Friends in Astoria, Oregon. It wheels above us and perches on rooftops outside our windows. Its calls accompany our work and our play.

New plastic honeybee

Honeybees are such important insects. Without them we'd have no food! They also live in very complex communties. For whatever reason you need a plastic honeybee model, this could be the bee for you!

Our Honeybee

This engaging, realistic-looking plastic honeybee is made of hard, flexible plastic and is hollow. It is 2 3/4 inches long and is a 2 3/4 inches from leg to leg. Our honeybee is light yellow, orange, and black in color with detailed thick transparent detailed wings. Our honeybee replica promises neither to fly away nor sting. It works well for a shoe box diorama or other school projects. It also makes for an interesting party favor or for a gag. Check out our other honeybee toys and gifts.

About Honeybees

Bees are insects, having six legs, a head, thorax and abdomen. Honey bees can be found worldwide. They live in hollw trees as well as in hives kept by beekeepers. The social behavior of these bees is very complex. The colony is made up of the queen bee, drone bees, and worker bees. The lifespan of the queen bee is usually two to three years. Worker bees are sterile female bees who collect, produce, and distribute honey, and also maintain the hive. These bees have pollen buckets on their hind legs as well as pollen scrapers to make their job easier. Worker bees are able to sting, but they die shortly afterwards. Honey bees help to pollinate flowers and crops and produce honey. Of the approximately 20,000 species of bee, fewer than 20 are considered true honey bees. These are classified in the genus Apis. "The first Apis bees appear in the fossil record at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary, in European deposits dating about 35 million years ago" according to Wikipedia. This does not mean that honey bees originated in Europe, but only that they were there at that time.

Posable coiling cobra back in stock in time for Halloween!

Our ever-popular 3-foot coiling plastic cobra is back in stock in time for Halloween shipping! Just think! You could go trick-or-treating or drop in on that party with one or two of these magnificent lifelike plastic cobras coiled around your arms or neck! They are posable. You can stretch them out straight or wrap them around, and they'll stay put. They won't bite, but your friends won't know that!

This super-lifelike coiling plastic cobra looks and feels like the real thing. In fact, our cobra is so realistic it has been purchased for use in a number of TV programs and movies. It makes a wonderful stage prop! We can't say enough about it - it's just beautiful, and its scaly plastic body is soft to the touch. The cobra is posable. As you see it here, it stands 7 inches tall, and it's 36 inches measured from nose to tail. It can be straightened out or moved into different positions. What a great gift or addition to your snake collection! Most details are "strikingly" realistic, although the two dark holes in the front are placed there so the plastic can bend without breaking. The cobra has the typical pattern on the back of its hood, not shown in our photo. Come look through our entire collection of snake toys and gifts.

Dinosaur skeleton (or fossil) plastic model

These dinosaur skeleton models are very cool. They may add just the touch of weirdness to your decor, or add that spark to a child's room to add fodder to their imaginative world. They would also go great in a classroom or homeschool setting. Or, hey, do you know anyone who just loves dinosaurs? These plastic skeletons could be the perfect gift! We have five dinosaur species and (skipping ahead a few million years) a woolly mammoth skeleton. The web page is being completed as I write this. If you don't see the one you want, give us a call at (503) 325-3179 in Astoria, Oregon.

The manufacturer intended these to appear as articulated fossils, but every fossil I've seen looks more like stone (because it is). It could be dark or light, but it doesn't really look like bones. What we have here looks like aged bones to me. In any case, this easy-to-assemble model is an eye-catcher in any setting.

I've pictured the triceratops, and here's a bit more about it:

Our Triceratops Skeleton Model

This realistic-looking triceratops skeleton model is made of strong plastic and is sturdy when assembled. There are about 10 separate pieces, some large, with easy to follow assembly instructions and a diagram. The bones look weathered and connect with one another through pegs or joint sockets. The head swivels slightly, the legs move slightly and the jaw opens and closes. The finished model is 4 inches tall and is 9 inches long from nose to tail. This miniature triceratops skeleton replica makes a nice display, a gift, or toy for children or adults and could work well for school show-and-tell or as a school science project. Check out our other dinosaur model toys and gifts.

About the Triceratops

The triceratops, meaning three horned face, appeared on the scene during the Late Cretaceous about 65 million years ago. No full skeletons have been found, but many bones have been discovered throughout North America in Alberta, Montana, South Dakota, Saskatchewan,and Wyoming. Bearing a large bony frill and three horns on its large four-legged body, it looks similar to the modern day rhinoceros. It was a vegetarian and possessed a sturdy build, with strong limbs and short, five-hoofed hands and four-hoofed feet. It was almost 10 feet high and 25 feet in length.