Picasso Triggerfish Pin - New in Our Store!

This beautiful and unusual Picasso triggerfish pin is one of the new pieces of jewelry in our online store. Since it needed a nice new home, I've just spent some time reorganizing the fish menu page and arranging the fish more into species types or habitat groups. No, "menu" in this case does not mean food, it's just a way to find all of our plastic fish, stuffed fish, fish jewelry, and whatever fishy products we have in the store! I'll be revamping the painted jewelry section soon and adding more to it. Here's the painted animal jewelry we have online as of today.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Wood Turtle, Plush Hummingbird

I've been reorganizing the Latin Americn Arts and Crafts page of our store today. It's very small right now, because I've temporarily taken down most of our wooden animals and other things. They'll be back online soon in a new format that's easier to use, and easier to see what we have in stock. They will all be formatted like the ordering system for this turtle. Just click the button! Sometimes it takes a long time to come up with the simplest solutions, and that's one reason that working with a flexible medium like the web is so interesting!

It's always a challenge to organize them online when the items are unique - actually unique, where each one is different. This is the case with our hand-carved palo de sangre or bloodwood animals from Colombia. Each one has to be posted separately so you don't order a turtle that looks like this and get one in the mail that looks different! I tried to do it with Picasa albums and code numbers, but it was only partially successful. I'm back to the tried and true method of showing our inventory where you see the item and just click the "Add to Cart" button. It takes a little longer on my part, but it's worth it! This page will grow, hopefully soon. I still have some animals in stock, and I have a great resource in Colombia.

Our Audubon bird didn't take as much planning to put online, but it always takes a certain amount of effort and thought to put up new items. In the case of a stuffed animal, we put it on our category page (in this case, Birds), on our stuffed (plush) animal page, and the hummingbird also has a page of its very own (which we call the "item page;" very exciting name, yes?). They are all linked together so that navigation is easy, and I've also added a search box to many of the pages. The goal is to get search boxes on every page. Because the coding covers 15 years, it's a bit risky to do them by global search and replace, so bear with me till I get the searches in! It really makes it easy to find things!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

monkeying around

First of all they are a challenge to find, and then an even bigger challenge to photograph. Yet, I was lucky enough to capture a picture of this howler monkey high up in the canopy in a rainforest in Northern Brazil. They actually travel quietly and usually in small groups and don't howl all day long.

Tapir and Friends supports the preservation of lowland tapirs in these forests but loves all of the animals which are so threatened by the incursion of man. Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a wide selection of primate toys, especially new world monkeys and has a realistic plastic howler monkey for sale for all of you  who are interested in these remarkable animals.

by lee

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

How we live?

This village, in the Altiplano region of Northern Bolivia,  can only be accessed by boat and  therefore has no other motorized transportation. Life exists here without many of the basic comforts that we take for granted. These homes in the background have neither running water nor electricity. It is a long boat ride across Lake Titicaca for basic supplies including health care. The inhabitants live by fishing or raising sheep and growing some simple crops.

Tapir and Friends Animal Store is a nonprofit which sells plastic and stuffed animals to help support conservation efforts in many poor South American countries. Some of its funding goes to educate rural people about tapirs. There are no tapirs here, but the above village is typical of the way so many people live in South America. 

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a wide selection of hoofed animals especially farm animals including plastic sheep for sale. They are useful as toys, science projects and holiday decorations.

by lee

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Check Out Our eBay Auctions!

Although some of our items are not directly animal-themed, such as the tagua nut (vegetable ivory) jewelry above, they are all here for the same reason: the proceeds help us help the tapirs and their habitat in the wild.

You can check out all of our current auctions here. They change rapidly, so by the time you read this post, these items may be gone and others may be in their places.

The dolphin comes without the specs, by the way. You will need to supply your own! He isn't picky. You can give him just about any kind of gasses to hold on his nose. This dolphin may be the last of its type we're ever going to see. This is a discontinued item, and when we took the dolphin out of our online store, we didn't realize we still had one left!

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

exotic birds of Africa

Looking over the meadow, a  crested gray crane, the national symbol of Uganda and centerpiece of the Ugandan flag wonders what strange creatures are looking at him. There are many exotic birds interspersed among the wildlife in the Serengeti Wildlife Refuge in Central Tanzania. It is rewarding to note that, at least on this amazing plain, these animals are safe from the incursion of man except for camera-toting tourists.

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a wide selection of plastic bird replicas including many exotic birds miniatures like ostriches for sale. Also there are a number of unusual bird gift items including bird jewelry and flamingo eyeglass holders (peeper keepers).  We don't have a Ugandan crane replica, so please just enjoy this picture.

by Lee

                                                         This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Remember to clean behind the ears!

The picture of this baby elephant belongs to our friend Dawn Emerson, who snapped it in October 2008 at an elephant barn in Amber near Jaipur in Rajastahan. When older, this elephant will carry tourists up the steep windy road to the Amber fort. There is much discussion about the mistreatment of elephants worldwide and especially in India, and certainly no one enjoys seeing the chains around this little guy's feet. One thing is definite though, the expression on this keeper's face is one of true devotion.

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a wide selection of elephant gift items and plastic elephants for sale. Perhaps you will enjoy having a pet smaller and more mangeable than the baby above. By the way you might like our elephant drinking cups, not suitable for elephants, but clearly wonderful for your young ones.

by Lee (photo may not be used w/o permission)

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Making Tracks

Of course you don't see any animal in this picture, but in the dirt below are fresh tiger tracks. Perhaps you'd like to follow them and see where they go.  In the Rathambore Tiger Preserve in Rajastahan chances are they lead to something large,yellow and hungry.

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a large selection of  realistic plastic cats including some delightful plastic tigers. Our plastic tiger replicas are quite detailed but, not to worry, they don't have sharp teeth and make nice companions.

by Lee

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Do you care to dance?

Among the events at the Pushkar Camel Fair  in Rajastahan October 2008 is the dancing horse competition.This beautiful participant plays to the crowd and struts its best moves in hopes of taking home some prize money for its owner.  It is surprising how gracefully the horses dance.

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a wide selection of plastic hoofed animals, including some plastic horses and some horse eyeglassholders (peeper keepers) for sale. Visit our store and take home a horse although ours don't dance.

By Lee

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Walk a Mile for a Camel

It was a memorable several days attending the Pushkar Camel Fair two years ago in Rajastahan. I saw thousands of camels and met incredible people who were hawking livestyock including horses, sheep, goats and of course camels. I found camels to be smart and devoted animals and even had the opportunity to ride one for several hours.

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a wide selection of  plastic and stuffed hoofed animals, especially some highly detailed plastic camels. and a camel finger puppet. These plastic camel replicas make good examples for science projects and are fun to own as keepsakes.

by Lee

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

bird watching

If anyone knows the name of this bird, let me know. I saw it at the Rathambore National Tiger Refuge  in Rajastahan several years ago while looking for tigers. It looks like a cross between a magpie and a robin.Tapir and friends Animal Store has a large selection of plastic birds including many exotic birds for sale. This includes plastic seabirds as well. 

by Lee

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Stuffed Platypus Back in Stock

Our ever-popular and cute stuffed platypus is back in stock and ready to be your pal!

We love this plush stuffed platypus! Look at its amazing toes. They're well-defined, yet soft. All four feet are wide and webbed. The feet are made of plush fabric and the claws won't scratch. The 18-inch length includes the tail. Our platypus is solid, substantial, and fun to hold. As you would imagine, his brown fur is soft and cuddly. To find more animals in this line, or see a list of our entire inventory of stuffed animals, beanies and puppets, check out our Stuffed Animal Page.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Down on the farm

I'm not sure why I liked the juxtaposition of this brass jug and the white goat. It is possible that the container is to be filled with milk, but in any case, like in so many poorer countries, livestock have the run of the neighborhood and can be found hanging about just about anywhere. 

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a wide selection of plastic hoofed animals and plastic farm animals, especially plastic holstein cows. Unfortunately our plastic nanny goat is presently out of stock.  If you enjoyed seeing farm animals when you were young, perhaps your children may enjoy having some realistic farm animal replicas as play toys.  

by Lee

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Ridin' high?

Many tourists to India are able to indulge their fantasy by seizing the opportunity to ride on an elephant. Below the Amber Fort, in Rajasthan, near Jaipur, this elephant awaits its next rider from Iowa. Our pachyderm seems friendly enough and patient. With some hay and a bit of sugar, I'm sure he's prepared to be ridden by a nervous gringo living out his "bucket list".

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a fine collection of plastic elephants for sale, both plastic African elephants and Asian elephants. Our realistic plastic elephants are too small to ride but certainly make good examples in dioramas for school projects or as keepsakes for adults and children. The store carries plastic elephant drinking cups and elephant jewelry as well.

by Lee

                                                 This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Watch for Deer

An unlicensed landscaping service has been working the neighborhood trimming the bushes, flowers and fertilizing the lawn. This mom and four other white-tail mule deer were spotted on Aubrey Butte in Bend, Oregon, in the late afternoon yesterday and seemed quite proud oof the job they were doing.

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a large variety of hoofed animals including some attractrive deer eyeglass holders (peeper keepers) and white tail deer jewelry. Also the store sells wonderfully realistic plastic reindeer, plastic elk, and  plastic caribou.  Our items are excellent examples for school science projects or for keepsakes, however they are not suitable for yard work!

by Lee

                                                                 This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Look carefully where you step

This morning while hiking up Black Butte near Sisters, Oregon, I spied a horned toad on the trail.  Although its short blunt shape resembles a frog  it is neither a toad nor a frog, but a lizard belonging to the genus Phrnosomatidae, morphologically similar to the thorny devil of Australia.

Horned lizards use a wide variety of techniques to avoid predation which, as you can see above, includes camoflauge. It also remains very stiill to avoid detection or runs in short bursts to confuse the predator's vision. Also it puffs up its body to make itself look more horny. These lizards feast on ants and other small insects and uses the same defense mechanisms to its advantage in hunting.

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a large selection of plastic reptiles including many kinds of plastic lizards. Among its desert animals there is an excellent horned toad replica and even a plastic cactus to add character to a science project diorama.

by lee

                                                   This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

monkey business?

A gray langur or Hanuman monkey looks on indifferently at tourists somewhere in central India. These old world monkeys are herbivores and often inhabit wooded areas and urban areas. They seem docile, but often quarrel with other members and can be quite the pests.  Also do not, like I did, wave a banana in front of one. Suddenly, the lovely yellow temptation, was ripped out of my hand and monkeys appeared almost out of nowhere. One even jumped in my lap!

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a large selection of realistic primates including many old world and new world monkeys. Also there is an interesting collection of prosimians, orangutans, and apes. We have  monkey drinking cups and gorilla eyeglass holders, but no barrel of monkeys!

by lee                                                                                                                                                        



This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Mooving in with relatives?

These young water buffalo, photographed  two years ago by our friend Dawn Emerson in a field outside of Agra, India, seem to enjoy the kinship and cool water. I remember a girl of ten or twelve minding the herd. What is amazing is how close a connection each animal has with one another. It is, I guess, a family affair.

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a large selection of plastic hoofed animals, but unfortunatly no water buffalo. Instead we have an American version, namely cattle. See our selection of Holstein cows, Texas longhorn bulls and calves.

by Lee

                                                   This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

loving fish!

Kissing Gouramis, also known as kissing fish (Helostoma temminckii), is a favorite species for freshwater aquarium enthusiasts.These fish actually kiss one another although someone told me at the pet shop that it is considered agressive behavior. They seem to hang out often at the top and suck at the water as it spins around the filter or they lie quietly at the bottom and appear to sleep for long periods. In any case it is a joy to spend time watching the habits of tropical fish.

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a fascinating variety of plastic tropical fish for sale. Most are saltwater reef fish such as our copperband butterfly fish puzzle, but there are plastic piranhas and fresh water trout as well. Our plastic fish are not to be put in aquariums with living fish but you may want to kiss them if you so choose!

by Lee

                                                 This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

How are you little star?

It's not every day that a person enjoys seeing the underside of a starfish (sea star). This new resident in my salt water aquarium has decided to show off its lovely rays for anyone who may be interested. By the way, starfish are from the phylum echinoderm, which means "spiny skin."

Tapir and Friends Animal Store has a large selection of aquatic creatures including a large variety of plastic sea stars(starfish) of various colors and shape. Orange starfish are among my favorites. See our small plastic seastar and a larger one that looks almost identical to the one above.

by lee

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.