Stuffed Fawn

The perfect gift for the collector!

Our Stuffed Fawn

We think this stuffed fawn toy is exceptional. It is so lifelike and compelling, you almost won't believe it's a stuffed toy and not the real thing. Although it is made of synthetic materials, it looks real. This wonderfully detailed baby deer measures 23 3/4 inches long, 9 1/2 inches wide and 13 inches high to the tips of the ears. The designer of this unique line of stuffed animals takes pride in the European heritage of his realistic animal design. Each piece is hand-cut and stitched.

This is not your ordinary stuffed animal. Our plush deer baby has the charm and quality you'll want to keep for a lifetime. It is the kind of toy your child will remember for years to come. It is the kind of "pet" a young child will want to name and create his or her own stories about.

The literature says, "The magical kingdom of Hansa plush was originally created for the most exclusive European clientele. Europeans have treasured these lifelike heirloom creatures for over twenty years. . . . Each Hansa piece is a handcrafted masterpiece, lovingly designed from portraits of real animals. The 'skin' for each of these marvelous beasts is hand-cut and trimmed, never stamped out by machine. The fabric for spotted and striped animals is custom designed and specially manufactured in small lots to Hansa's exacting specifications."

As time permits, we will be adding more of this unique line to our gift shop. If you're looking for an animal and don't find it on our site, please write to us. To find our other Hansa stuffed toy animals, or see our entire inventory of stuffed animals, stuffed beanies and plush hand puppets, check out our Stuffed Animals Page and Stuffed Beanies and Plush Puppets Page. Check out our terrific selection of deer, elk and moose toys and gifts.

About Deer

Deer are herbivore mammals of the family Cervidae. Many species of deer exist on every continent except Australia and Antarctica, including the white-tailed, red, fallow, roe, chital, and Chinese water deer. Also included in the Family Cervidae are elk, moose, and reindeer. Deer typically weigh 70-600 pounds. They have slender frames and powerful legs, which make them exceptional runners, jumpers and swimmers. The earliest deer fossils date back to the Oligocene epoch, over 23 million years ago.

All male deer and female reindeer have antlers, bony forked appendages that grow from their heads. The only exception to this is the Chinese water deer, which has tusks. Antlers are shed and grow back annually. This makes them different from horns, which are permanent.

Deer have had a significant economic, cultural, and spiritual impact on humans throughout history. From the earliest European cave paintings to Walt Disney's movie "Bambi," Kate Seredy's book The White Stag, and Nintendo's Pokemon "Stantler," deer have captured our imagination. To this day, deer are pursued for sustenance, immortalized in heraldry and popular culture, and revered by belief systems old and new for their speed, strength, and nobility.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Galapagos Shark

A unique addition to any shark collection!

Our Plastic Galapagos Shark

This exotic Galapagos shark is one in our series of lively and lifelike plastic animals found in the Galapagos Islands. Its realistic shape and details will be enjoyed as part of a school project, diorama, plastic animal collection, as a party favor, or gift. Our plastic Galapagos shark measures 3 1/2 inches from nose to tail. Be sure to see our other shark toys and gifts.

About Galapagos Sharks

The Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) is found around the warm waters of the Galapagos Islands, but not exclusively. It seems to follow warm currents into the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. It is related to the requiem shark. It has a grey to black top, a white belly, and a black tail edge. It is primarily a bottom feeder and can be found at depths of 60 feet. It is often as much as 10 feet long. The Galapagos shark has been threatened due to fishing, but is not considered endangered at this time.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Ferret

A wonderfully-detailed pet figurine!

Our Plastic Toy Ferret

This engaging, realistic-looking plastic ferret miniature is made of somewhat flexible plastic. This replica has detailed fur and is painted brown and wearing a red kerchief. If I were this ferret, I might chew it off! This ferret makes for a nice pet, fits into a shoebox diorama, or serves as a great collectible. Check out our other ferret toys and gifts.

About Ferrets

The ferret is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal similar to weasels and are closely related to the polecat. They are energetic creatures that love to pack and hide items play hide and seek and chasing games. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur, have an average length of approximately 20 inches, including a 5 inch tail, weigh about 1.5–4 pounds, and have a lifespan of 7 to 10 years. They were originally used by the Romans for rabbit hunting and get their name meaning "little thief" from them. Ferrets are crepuscular and sleep often during the day and night in 6 hours intervals. When awake they have abundant energy and are noted for a type of sidewards hopping known as a ferret "war dance." This is often accompanied by a playful, clucking noise which is an invitation to play. Ferret kits are noted for nipping, but generally well-trained ferrets are safe pets, and are also somewhat easily housebroken.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Andrewsarchus

Would you believe...those are HOOVES, not CLAWS!?!

Our Plastic Andrewsarchus Replica

Made of solid plastic by Safari, Ltd., one of the best names in plastic toy animals, this Andrewsarchus's superior design and details make it a museum-quality replica or collector's item, and yet the price puts it in range for the average collector of plastic animals. It measures 4 1/2 inches from the pointy teeth to the curve of the tail and stands 1 7/8 inches tall. It comes with an informational tag in French, Italian, Spanish, German, and English. This sturdy, durable prehistoric predator is also excellent for school projects, novelties, party favors or even as a children's toy. You can make a marvelous Ice Age shoebox diorama using this and other plastic creatures from our gift shop. Come see our other ice age predator toys and gifts.

About Andrewsarchus

To date the only fossil remains found of this amazing ice age hoofed predator are a skull and a few bone pieces. They were found in Mongolia in 1924 during an expedition led by paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews, for whom the creature is named. After extensive study of the skull, it was concluded that this creature was a member of the only known group of carnivorus hoofed mammals called Mesonychids, which looked somewhat like wolves with hoofed toes. Mesonyx obtusidens, a small North American relative, was the model for current depictions of this predator. From the size of the skull (3 feet long), it was determined that Andrewsarchus was approximately 6 foot tall at the shoulder and 13-18 feet long (over twice the size of today's brown bear), making it the largest carnivous mammal in the world. There is a video link and some very interesting discussion on Andrewsarchus on the Laelaps blog. For additional information, check out the Andrewsarchus page and the "What are Mesonychids?" page at Bluelion.org.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Silverback Gorilla

Wanna arm-wrestle?

Our Plastic Silverback Gorilla

Our silverback gorilla toy animal is made of solid plastic and measures 1 1/2 inches from nose to rump and stands 1 1/2 inches high to the top of the head. Its name is molded into the bottom. This plastic animal toy is great for school projects, toys, novelties, animal collections, party favors and more. Our plastic ape is for decoration or play only. You can make an amazing "Great Apes" shoebox diorama using this and other plastic creatures from our gift shop. Best of all, there is no mess, no feeding, and no tank or cage cleaning :) Check out our terrific selection of gorilla toys and gifts.

About Gorillas

Gorillas are primates, the animals most closely related to humans. Native to the equatorial regions of Africa, the gorilla is highly endangered, its decline the result of illegal poaching for the pet trade combined with advancing civilization and population growth. As of 2004, there were approximately 700 mountain gorillas and 97,000 lowland gorillas left in the world. Poachers hunt endangered animals, and hunt in parks where the animals are supposed to be protected. Many poachers use snares, which are very dangerous to all animals. Although adult male gorillas can reach 400 pounds, and females can reach about 200 pounds, gorillas are shy and like to spend their days quietly, either leisurely searching for food, or resting in the warm sun. They are vegetarians and will only attack when provoked or threatened. Gorillas are the largest and most powerful of the apes. More laws prohibiting, rather than just controlling, the capture and sale of gorillas need to be passed and enforced in all countries within the species' range. (Gorilla research by Joslyn Biggins.)

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Tree Frog on Branch Jewelry

Just don't call him 'Kermit'!

Our Tree Frog on Branch Jewelry

Made in Washington and Idaho by a team of three U.S. artists, these high-quality pins or tie tacks are unique. Each exquisitely detailed piece is cast in pewter and painted by hand. The finish is extremely smooth and shiny, as you can see by the highlight from the scanner. Each pin is secured by two sturdy tacks on the back so it doesn't skew sideways or turn upside down, and the finished product is not only gorgeous, but satisfyingly substantial in weight. They can be used as lapel pins, hat pins, tie tacks, and more. These collectible animal pins are heirloom quality, and the details are so realistic, they are found in museum gift shops and bought by organizations in need of the perfect animal to represent their group. In fact, if you're interested in having the name of your organization put on an item, write to us for details. You will find more fish and animals by the same artists listed on our Items by Series page.

About Red-Eyed Treefrogs

The red-eyed treefrog (Agalychnis callidryas) is an amphibian native to the Central American rainforests. Its dominantly-green coloration allows the red-eyed treefrog to blend in with the leaves and other foliage of its arboreal home. They are fantastic jumpers and have sticky pads on their toes for gripping to trees and leaves.

Red-eyed treefrogs are carnivorous, feeding mostly on insects and occasionally smaller frogs. They are not poisonous, depending on their coloration to hide from predators. As with many species of the rainforests, the red-eyed treefrog’s primary threat is deforestation throughout its habitat range for agricultural purposes.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plush Dust Mite

A visitor in EVERY home!

Our Plush Dust Mite

This engaging, realistic-looking stuffed dust mite is soft, cuddly, and easy to hold. The legs are short, flexible, and are made of soft plush fabric. The body is light brown and the legs are gray-brown. Our dust mite has a kindly expression and promises not to make you sneeze. This dust mite makes a nice pet or gift. Check out our other dust mite toys and gifts.

About Dust Mites

The American dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae) is about 250 microns in length and can only be seen with a magnifying glass. It is a disgusting-looking, hairy, eight-legged creature that feeds primarily on dead skin. It really does little harm. The dust mite is blamed for allergies and asthmatic reactions. It is best to wash sheets and pillows in hot water often since the dust mite thrives on skin particles especially from the scalp. The dust mite travels by air current from room to room. Most homes have them in some quantity. It is strange to think that the dust mite is a common household visitor.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Barrel-eye Fish

Now THAT'S a goofy-lookin' fish!

Our Plastic Barrel-Eye Fish

Our unusual and colorful plastic barrel-eye fish is 5 1/2 inches long from its jaws to its tail. The body is constructed of dense, somewhat flexible plastic. The plastic glows in the dark, and the unpainted parts (the lower jaw and underbelly) will emit a pale green light in a dark room. The fish has a brown body, and an orange face, fins and tail. On the belly, in tiny letters, is written "lanternfish," but this fish lacks the shape or fin arrangement of any lanternfish I found in my research. Previously we had simply called our barrel-eye a "mystery fish" and asked for help in identifying it. A visitor to our website named William directed us to a barrel-eye and for this we a grateful to him. Please see all our other deepwater toys and gifts.

About Barrel-Eye Fish

The barrel-eye fish (Opisthoproctus soleatus) is an amazing deepwater fish which lives in the aphotic zone near the top where no light penetrates. It is equipped with large, highly developed, light-sensitive, barrel-shaped eyes which direct its vision upwards toward the faintest light in order to spot the shape of prey. It is about 10 inches long and has an elaborate fin structure, luminescent organs, and a transparent to translucent head. The light emanating from the barrel-eye tends to confuse predators, making it difficult for them to see it as a fish. Little is known about the number of barrel-eyes in existence and about its reproductive cycle.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Seahorse

Saddle up this unusual creature from the ocean's depths!

Our Plastic Yellow Seahorse

This engaging, realistic-looking plastic seahorse is made of solid, flexible plastic. The body has well-defined detail. It is 2 1/2 inches tall. It makes for a nice pet, gift, or is perfect for a school project or in a diorama. Check out our other seahorse toys and gifts.

About Yellow Seahorses

The yellow seahorse (Hippocampus kuda ) is one of the most common seahorses and is also known as the Common Seahorse, Spotted Seahorse, or Oceanic Seahorse. . It is found mainly in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. It has a short crown, which is directed backwards. It is found in shallow water of not much more than 30 feet. They can be found in mangroves, coastal seagrass beds, estuaries, coastal bays and lagoons, harbors, sandy sediments in rocky littoral zones, and rivers with brackish waters. Seahorses pair for life. They are poor swimmers and generally remain anchored to rocks using their prehensile tails.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Soft Play Latex Giant Panda Replica

A fun and accurate replica of an amazing, rare animal!

Our Soft Play Plastic Giant Panda

This realistic-looking latex-coated soft play giant panda is a terrific replica. It is 8 1/2 inches long. It is also 4 1/2 inches tall. Our panda replica has a soft plastic "skin" and a squishy inner body possibly made of foam. It is an excellent toy for children because it is light weight and durable, and it's not likely to damage anything by its impact if a child throws it. It serves as an educational toy for a science project or as a gag or unusual gift. Check out our other panda toys and gifts.

About Pandas

The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is found in cental and southwestern China. It is a member of the bear family and in the order of carnivores,(which implies meat-eating) although, in its natural state, it eats exclusively bamboo shoots. The giant panda has been impacted heavily by encroaching civilization and is considered an endangered species with probably no more than 1500 individuals living in the wild with about 250 animals living in captivity. It is a docile animal and is not known to attack humans. It is slowly replacing the dragon as China's national symbol.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Desert Roadrunner

BEEP-BEEP!!

Our Plastic Desert Roadrunner

Our 2-inch long plastic desert roadrunner is detailed and will be an asset for your shoebox dioramas and other school projects. Be sure to see our other roadrunner toys and gifts.

About Desert Roadrunners

The desert roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) belongs to the Cuckoo family. It is famous for its mottled black and white appearance, its crested head and its long beak and tail. It is also known for its ability to scoot at high speed across the desert floor at up to 17 miles an hour, hence its name. Also it is skilled at pecking rattlesnakes. It ranges in the deserts of the Northern Mexico and in the Southwest where it feasts on scorpions, small lizards and snakes. It is a beautiful bird to see in the desert and is presently not endangered..

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Beaver Replica

A perfect centerpiece for a biology diorama!

Our Plastic Beaver Replica

This busy beaver is one of our series of lively and lifelike plastic animals. Its realistic shape and details will be enjoyed as part of a school project, diorama, plastic animal collection, as a party favor, or gift.

About Beavers

Beavers are wonderful swimmers and also great at building dams. The dams they build are mostly used to get easy access to food in the winter time, and are also used for protection againt predators. The dams may be as large as 1,000 ft long, 15 ft high, and 25 ft thick. Not to mention the beaver is also large, a male can weigh up to 55 lbs, and a female beaver can weigh even more! The beaver is so large, that they are the 2nd largest rodent in the world next to the capybara (see stuffed and plastic capybaras in our gift shop).

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Velociraptor Skeleton Model

As much fun as it is educational!

Our Velociraptor Skeleton Model

This realistic-looking velociraptor skeleton model is made of strong plastic and is sturdy when assembled. It is 9 1/2 inches long and 6 1/2 inches tall. 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. Although most pieces hold together well, it may help to use a little super glue. This miniature velociraptor 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 Velociraptors

The velociraptor, or "speedy raider," lived in the Cretaceous period in what is now Mongolia. It was a two-legged, feathered carnivore with a long, stiffened tail and an enlarged sickle-shaped claw on each hindfoot, which is thought to have been used to kill its prey. The velociraptor was popularized in the movie Jurassic Park, but it was made much larger and without feathers. The velociraptor was really only the size of a turkey, but nontheless ferocious.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Great White Shark

A perfect toy or party favor!

Our Plastic Great White Shark

This playful plastic great white shark is made hollow plastic and is 9 inches long. This replica has a detailed face and body with a shark-like smile. It has yellow eyes and a squeaker in its throat and may float and it squirks water. It makes for a nice pet, bath toy, and fits into a shark collection or serves as a great gag and is fun for all kinds of games. It promises not to bite, although because it is hollow, this shark is quite popular for use with grenadine for "Shark Attack" drinks in summer! Check out our other shark toys and gifts.

About Great White Sharks

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) can be found near the surface in warmer waters of the Pacific, the Caribbean, and along the coast of Africa. Great whites usually about 9 feet in length, but adults may be as much as 16 feet. They weigh around 2,000 pounds. Some sharks follow the migration of sea lions, which they find a most tasty prey. The great white has a large conical-shaped snout, a gray dorsal fin and a mottled white underside. Great white sharks, like many other sharks, have rows of teeth behind the main ones, allowing any that break off to be rapidly replaced. A great white shark's teeth are serrated and when the shark bites it will shake its head side to side and the teeth will act as a saw and tear off large chunks of flesh. Great whites often swallow their own broken off teeth along with chunks of their prey's flesh.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Softshell Turtle

Another new addition to the TPF line-up!

Our Plastic Softshell Turtle

This engaging, realistic-looking plastic softshell turtle replica is made of somewhat flexible plastic with good quality. The turtle is 6 inches long, its shell is just over 4 inches wide, and the head sticks up 3 1/4 inches from the ground. Because it's so large, the hand-painted details are beautifully clear and easy to see. The plastic is just a little bit soft and rubbery so the toenails can't scratch. Detailing on this beautiful turtle replica include sculpting of the underside of the legs and feet and lines on the underside of the shell. It comes with an informational tag printed in five languages: English, German, French, Italian, and Spanish. Check out our other freshwater turtles toys and gifts.

About Florida Softshell Turtles

One of the fastest turtles to move on land, the Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox) are known to sprint quickly back to water when threatened or frightened. Florida softshells grow to very large sizes, ranging from 6 to 30 inches long, and are the largest of their genus. In addition to their speed, Florida softshells can bite with extremely powerful jaws. In captivity, Florida softshells have been known to reach lifespans of 30 years. Highly carnivorous, Florida softshells prey on fish, amphibians, small reptiles, and water fowl hatchlings.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic T-rex Skeleton Model

The Tyrant Lizard King in his prehistoric glory!

Our T-rex Skeleton Model

This realistic-looking T-rex 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 7 inches tall and is 9 1/2 inches long from nose to tail. This miniature t-rex 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 T-rex

The Tyrannosaurus or T-rex meaning tyrant lizard appeared on the scene during the Late Cretaceous about 65 million years ago. Although full skeletons have been found throughout North America in Alberta, Montana, South Dakota, Saskatchewan,and Wyoming, some have been found in Mongolia as well. Some skeletons have been measured to 45 feet in length. It walked on two legs and had a huge skull and an enormous tail to help with balance. It had two small powerful clawed forearms. There is debate whether this carnivore was just a scavenger or a killer itself.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Stuffed Sockeye Salmon

A wonderfully detailed replica by Cabin Critters!

Our Stuffed Sockeye Salmon

This soft and colorful plush sockeye salmon toy is well-made and realistic in both color and appearance. Wonderfully detailed and 17 inches long, this isn't your typical stuffed animal! This sockeye salmon is stuffed with both soft fiber-filler and beans, allowing it to sit upright on it's belly. A fantastic gift for the fisherman, conservationist, or collector, this plush salmon would also make a wonderful addition to a school project, a theatre prop, a wildlife decoration, or simply to snuggle up to! Check out our other salmon and fish toys and gifts.

About Sockeye Salmon

The third most common Pacific salmon species, Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) are found in the northern Pacific Ocean and rivers that discharge into it. Sockeye salmon also exist in completely land-locked populations, living and reproducting in lakes. These salmon, while exactly the same species, are known as kokanee. Kokanee tend to be much smaller than the ocean-dwelling salmon, rarely exceeding 14 inches in length. Sockeye salmon spawn in fresh water, then migrate to the ocean for 1 - 4 years. While in the ocean, Sockeye salmon are blue-tinged and silver in color, only taking on the distictive red hue and green head when migrating to spawn. In males, the jaws and teeth also become hooked, and are used primarily for fighting other males. Sockeye salmon feed primarily on plankton, and will occasionally feast on shrimp and insects. The word "sockeye" comes from the Halkomelem word "Suk-kegh", meaning red fish.

 This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Malayan Tapir Fuzzy Stickers

Perfect for decorating your folders, lockers, and book covers!

Our Malayan Tapir Fuzzy Stickers

These adorable fuzzy stickers show Malayan tapirs in four lifelike positions - yes, they really do sit like that! There are four stickers per square. The tapirs from one square shown above, although the real squares are on white background. Our price to you is 4 squares (16 tapirs) for one dollar. Each square is about 2 x 2 inches, with the biggest tapir about 1.25 inches long.

Normally when we learn that one of our favorite tapir items has been discontinued, we have to say we're sorry, we can't get any more. However, in this case we were lucky! Carol Reid found out that Sandylion had made their last tapir stickers . . . and they'd sell us all they had for a great price. We're passing along the savings to you plus the hope that we'll never run out. Thanks to Carol, we have thousands of stickers on hand!

About Asian (Malayan) Tapirs

Malayan tapirs (Tapirus indicus) grow to between 6 and 8 feet in length, stand 3 to 3.5 feet tall, and typically weigh between 550 and 700 pounds. Like the other types of tapir, they have small stubby tails and long, flexible proboscises. They have four toes on each front foot and three toes on each back foot. The Malayan Tapir has rather poor eyesight but excellent hearing and sense of smell. The easily identifiable markings (the saddle, white rimmed ears, black legs, chest, and head) make it more difficult to recognize it as a tapir, and other animals may mistake it for a large rock rather than a form of prey when it is lying down to sleep. Malayan Tapirs communicate with high-pitched squeaks and whistles. They usually prefer to live near water and often bathe and swim, and they are also able to climb steep slopes. Malayan Tapirs can live up to 30 years, both in the wild and in captivity. Malayan tapirs live in Southest Asia, where they have become extinct in some of their range; small populations still survive in Myanmar, Thailand, and Sumatra (Indonesia). In the past, scientists believed that tapirs live solitary lives, but in recent years, it has become clear that they can be found in small family groups. They do not live in herds, and are hard to located in the forest. Under ideal conditions, a tapir gives birth about every 18 months to two years, bearing only one calf at a time. The slow "recruitment rate" is one of the several reasons they are on their way to extinction. Read more about Malayan tapirs here.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic African Elephant

A fun and useful replica of a magnificent creature!

Our Plastic African Elephant

This small elephant toy is made of solid white plastic. Colors are painted on. The detail is nice for such a small item. Come see our wonderful assortment of African elephant toys and gifts.

About African Elephants

Until recently, it was believed that there were only two species of elephant - African and Asian (Elephas maximus). However, in 2004, DNA evidence proved that there are actually two true species of African elephant - African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) and African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis). African savannah elephants are the largest elephant, African forest elephants are slightly smaller and Asian elephants are the smallest elephant. African elephants have larger ears than the Asian elephant. In the African species, both the male and female elephants have large visible tusks. In the Asian species only the males have large visible tusks. The females have small tusks called tushes that are not usually visible. African elephants only have one dome on the top of their head, and the flat forehead is slightly sloped. The Asian elephant has two distinct domes at the top of its head. There is a projection on the end of the elephant's trunk that is referred to as a "finger." African elephants have two "fingers" on the end of their trunk, and will use a grasping motion when picking things up. (This is much like the way we use our thumb and forefinger.) The Asian elephant has only one "finger," so it has to curl the end of its trunk around anything it wants to pick up. All three elephant species are endangered because of poachers who hunt them for their tusks.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Plastic Triceratops Skeleton Model

The prehistoric equivalent of a tank!

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.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.