Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
Dunkleosteus was a huge (about 20 feet long and about one ton in weight) carnivorous fish that lived during the Devonian Period (380-360 million years ago throughout the world’s oceans of the time. With its large jaws and massive tooth plates, which are faithfully featured on our Dunkleosteus toy, it would have been a top predator in its habitat.
History: Unlike most fossil fish, Dunkleosteus has become well known to the public through its appearances in films like ‘Sea Monsters – a Walking with Dinosaurs Trilogy’ and the television program ‘River Monsters.’
Scientific Name: Dunkleosteus, named for the late David Dunkle, a well-known paleontologist and curator of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, which has some of the best collections of Dunkleosteus in the world.
Characteristics: Dunkleosteus belonged to a group of extinct primitive fish called placoderms. Unlike all living fish, the head and front half of the body of placoderms are covered in massive bony shields. They did not have teeth, but rather huge bony plates in their jaws with sharp shearing surfaces that worked like giant scissors. Dunkleosteus used its powerful jaws and tooth plates to cut through the largest prey, and would have occupied the same position in the ecosystem that large sharks do today.
Size: This Dunkleosteus toy is 7.25 inches long and 3.25 inches wide.
The Dunkleosteus is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free
Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
Elasmosaurus was a large marine reptile that lived during the Late Cretaceous (about 80 million years ago) in a shallow sea that once covered what is now central North America. It belonged to a group of reptiles called plesiosaurs which are characterized by the possession of a very long neck, small head, turtle-shaped body with flippers rather than legs, and a short tail, all of which are represented on this Elasmosaurus toy.
History: The first Elasmosaurus fossil was described by the famous American paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope in 1868. Cope was a fossil lizard expert, and this led to a curious mistake - while in a hurry to publish his description of Elasmosaurus, he put the skull on the end of the tail, thinking that it was the neck. Cope spend a lot of time and money trying to buy back all of the copies of his original description so that he could correct his mistake and put the head on the right end of the animal.
Scientific Name: Elasmosaurus, which means ‘thin plate lizard’. This odd name refers to the thin, plate-like bones in the hip skeleton of this animal.
Characteristics: At nearly 50 feet and three tons, Elasmosaurus was one of the biggest plesiosaurs. Although its head was quite small, its jaws were filled with long pointed teeth. Its long neck allowed Elasmosaurus to quickly swing its head in all directions and snatch fish as they swam by. All four limbs were modified into paddles that the Elasmosaurus used like oars to row itself through the water. The tail as too short to have been used for propulsion – it was probably used like a rudder to steer.
Size: This Elasmosaurus toy model is 10 inches long and 4.75 inches wide.
The Elasmosaurus is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection.
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free.
Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
Estemmenosuchus was a prehistoric creature known as a therapsid. It was not a dinosaur, and actually lived in the Permian period, over 265 million years ago, well before any dinosaurs roamed the earth. Therapsids were early ancestors of what would one day become mammals, and actually had more in common with mammals than reptiles.
Scientific Name: Estemmenosuchus ("Crowned Crocodile")
Characteristics: Estemmenosuchus was known for the unique bony growths that sprouted from its head, including two large projections jutting from its cheeks, two ornate antler-like horns above its eyes, and a blunt horn on its snout. It had a stout body with sprawling legs and a short tail. This Estemmenosuchus toy figure showcases this prehistoric creature's unique and unusual traits.
Size: This highly detailed Estemmenosuchus figure measures 4 1/2 inches long and 2 1/4 inches high.
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Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
Tyrannosaurus rex, the so-called ‘king of the tyrant lizards’, is probably the most famous dinosaur of all time. At up to 40 ft long, it remains one of the largest known meat-eating dinosaurs. However, recent discoveries of feathered T-Rex dinosaurs are changing our understanding of the life appearance of this popular species.
History: Specimens of earlier, smaller tyrannosaurs from China, Dilong and Yutyrannus, have been found with feathers preserved. This evidence suggests that Tyrannosaurus may have also had feathers because these species are related. Tyrannosaurus even had a wishbone resembling those of modern birds.
Scientific Name: Tyrannosaurus rex
Characteristics: Tyrannosaurus is a muscular carnivore with large jaws filled with teeth the size of bananas. It walked on two muscular legs and had relatively tiny arms with two-fingered hands. With the discovery of its relative Yutyrannus, some scientists believe Tyrannosaurus may have sported feathers.
Size: This stunningly detailed t-rex dinosaur toy is 12 inches long and 5.25 inches high.
Voted best dinosaur toy figure of 2017 by Prehistoric Times Magazine
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free
Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
Velociraptor was a small, carnivorous dinosaur that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous, 71 to 75 million years ago. Unlike the fictional movie counterpart that made this species famous, the real Velociraptor was only about the size of a turkey and was covered in feathers. Despite its diminutive stature and feathery appearance, Velociraptor was an effective predator that used its dangerously sharp teeth and claws to subdue small prey and other dinosaurs.
History: Velociraptor belongs to a group of ‘raptor’ type dinosaurs more properly known as dromaeosaurids. This group includes the Chinese Microraptor and Sinornithosaurus, which have both been found preserved with a beautiful covering of feathers. Because dromaeosaurids are so closely related, it is certain that they all, including Velociraptor, had feathers.
Scientific Name: Velociraptor mongoliensis
Characteristics: Velociraptor was a slender carnivore with sharp teeth and a long, stiff tail to keep it balanced. It had two long legs with three sharp-clawed toes, including an enlarged sickle-shaped claw on its first toe that was used as a fearsome weapon. In life, its body was covered in plumage and its arms supported long, wing-like feathers, as you can see on our Feathered Velociraptor toy.
Size: This accurate, Feathered Velociraptor toy figure is 8.5 inches long and 2.75 inches high.
The Feathered Velociraptor is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free
Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
Megatherium, the so-called ‘giant sloth’, was a massive ground-dwelling relative of modern sloths. This particular species, Megatherium americanum, was the largest of its kind. It browsed for plants in South America during the Pleistocene and became extinct just ten thousand years ago.
History: Megatherium americanum was first named scientifically in 1796 by the eminent French anatomist and ‘father of palaeontology’, Georges Cuvier. He recognized it was an extinct giant sloth, which was significant at the time because the concept of prehistory was only just being understood. He named it Megatherium, which means ‘large beast’.
Scientific Name: Megatherium americanum
Characteristics: Megatherium americanum was a large plant-eating mammal with stubby legs and relatively long arms. It was covered with hair and had a blunt skull with strong grinding teeth, which can all be seen on our expertly sculpted Giant Sloth toy. It had a broad pelvis and a short tail, and could balance in a squat tripod pose. The large claws on its hands helped it to pull down branches to feed on leaves, and it may have also had a long tongue. It reached 20 feet long – the size of an elephant.
Size: This Giant Sloth toy figure is 4.5 inches high and 3.5 inches long.
The Giant Sloth is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection.
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free
Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
Giganotosaurus is the largest carnivorous dinosaur from South America. At an estimated 41 ft long, this massive dinosaur challenges even Tyrannosaurus rex for the title of largest theropod ever. Giganotosaurus occupied South America during the Late Cretaceous, 97 million years ago,
History: This predator is gigantic by name and gigantic by nature. It was first reported by Rodolfo A. Coria and Leonardo Salgado in 1995 as the largest predatory dinosaur of all time, a claim was based on a partial skeleton including bones from the skull, shoulder, hips, and legs, plus most of the spine. The remains were excavated from the Río Limay Formation of Neuquén Province, Argentina, so while it is without a doubt the largest theropod dinosaur from South America, since no complete skeleton of Giganotosaurus is known, its exact length is an estimate.
Scientific Name: Giganotosaurus carolinii
Characteristics: Giganotosaurus was a strong carnivore with large jaws filled with blade-like teeth. It walked on two muscular legs with three-toed feet and sharp, curved claws. It used its long tail to counterbalance its heavy head.
Size: This graceful Giganotosaurus toy figure is 14.5 inches long and 4 inches high. This Giganotosaurus toy model is supported by a base.
The Gigantosaurus is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free
Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
The fearsome looking Hyaenodons were the top predators of their day, reigning for over 25 million years from the Eocene to the Miocene epochs. Though their name references the hyena, the two animals are not closely related to each other. Hyaenodons looked like and behaved in a manner more akin to modern day wolves.
History: Hyaenodons were widespread at the time of their existence, with species found in Africa, Asia, North America and Europe. Hyaenodon gigas, one of the largest species, was found in Mongolia and lived during the Oligocene Epoch. Hyaenodon could grow to ten feet long and five feet at the shoulder, and could weigh over 1,000 lbs.
Scientific Name: Hyaenodon (“Hyena Tooth”) gigas
Characteristics: This prowling Hyaenodon gigas toy figure is opening its mouth wide to show off its namesake teeth. The figure is professionally painted and sculpted in intricate, scientifically accurate detail, right down to the inside of its gaping mouth. But don’t be scared of its snarl, it won’t bite!
Size: This Hyaenodon gigas toy is 6 ¾ inches long and 3 inches tall, or a bit larger than a soda can on its side.
The Hyaenodon gigas is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection.
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free.
Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
Kaprosuchus shows that prehistoric ‘crocs’ were more diverse than crocodiles today. This extinct relative of modern crocodiles had tusk-like fangs that earned it the nickname “boar croc”. It lived in northern Africa during the late Cretaceous, 95 million years ago.
History: Kaprosuchus saharicus is known only from one almost complete 1.7-foot-long skull, described and named in 2009. The genus name means ‘boar crocodile’, in reference its three pairs of long fangs, one pair of which protrude upwards and are reminiscent of the tusks of a boar. The species name refers to the Sahara where it was discovered.
Scientific Name: Kaprosuchus saharicus
Characteristics: Kaprosuchus was a meat-eating crocodylomorph - the group that includes modern crocodiles. It had long broad jaws filled with pointed teeth, including enlarged tusk-like fangs. Its strong jaw muscles provided a powerful bite. The body of this crocodile ancestor is unknown, but as our Kaprosuchus toy portrays, it was probably similar to other crocodylomorphs with four short legs and a long tail.
Size: This Kaprosuchus toy is 8.25 inches long and 2 inches high.
The Kaprosuchus is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free
Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
Kronosaurus belongs to a marine reptile group called pliosaurs. This toothy predator cruised the oceans during the early Cretaceous, about 120 million years ago. It hunted prey such as fish and other marine reptiles.
History: Kronosaurus was first named in 1924 by H. Longman, who described a large jaw fragment discovered in Queensland, Australia. Longman was inspired to name this mysterious giant predator after the titan Kronos who, according to Greek mythology, devoured his own children. The species name K. queenslandicus refers to the place where the jaw was found.
Scientific Name: Kronosaurus queenslandicus
Characteristics: The meat-eating Kronosaurus had a huge head with rows of conical, pointed teeth in its long jaws, as you can see on our Kronosaurus toy. It had a short neck, a robust body, and two pairs of large, wing-like flippers that it used to propel itself through the water. This marine reptile grew up to 33 ft long.
Size: This large Kronosaurus toy model is 13.5 inches long and 7.75 inches wide.
The Kronosaurus is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA
Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
Liopleurodon was a large carnivorous marine reptile (more than 20 feet in length) that lived during the Middle Jurassic Period (160-155 million years ago) in a shallow sea that once covered what is now Europe. Unlike the more familiar plesiosaurs like Elasmosaurus, which had small heads and a long neck, Liopleurodon had a huge head and short neck.
History: Liopleurodon was first discovered by the French paleontologist Henri Sauvage in 1873. All he found were teeth, but they were very distinctive in lacking ridges or serrations that are normally seen on large fossil reptile teeth. Sauvage knew that he had a new animal, and named it Liopleurodon, referring to the smooth sides of the teeth.
Scientific Name: Liopleurodon, meaning ‘smooth-sided tooth’. Many large reptiles had distinct ridges or serrations on their teeth, but Liopleurodon was distinct in totally lacking these features.
Characteristics: Liopleurodon belonged to a special branch of plesiosaurs called ‘pliosaurs’ that had large heads full of teeth, as shown on our Liopleurodon toy.
Size: This Liopleurodon toymodel is 7 inches long and 4 inches wide. .
The Liopleurodon is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free
Wild Safari Dinosaur Collection
The strange-looking Macrauchenia seems like a cross between a llama and an elephant. It lived in South America during the last Ice Age roughly 10,000 years ago.
History: Macrauchenia has features similar to giraffes, elephants and camels, though it is not closely related to any of those groups. The first fossils were discovered by Charles Darwin in Patagonia in 1834, and were incorrectly assumed to be a type of Mastodon. Darwin was not an expert on the subject of paleontology, so it wasn’t until the remains were examined by Sir Richard Owen that the animal was described more accurately as a slender, llama-like animal.
Scientific Name: Macrauchenia (“long llama”)
Characteristics: Our Macrauchenia toy features the slender legs, long neck, and short trunk associated with this unique hoofed mammal. This hand-painted figure is highly detailed down to its fur and tiny teeth.
Size: This Macrauchenia toy figure is 5 inches long and 3 ½ inches tall, or about the size of a small index card.
The Macrauchenia is part of the Wild Safari® Prehistoric World collection.
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free.
