Alligator 1998 Wild Safari Wildlife, walkaround by Kikimalou

The discussions about the MOJÖ FUN croc gave me the idea to walkaround this excellent model : The 1998 SAFARI Ltd American alligator.

The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is a large crocodilian reptile endemic to the Southeastern United States. It isthe largest of the two living species in the genus Alligator, the other one is the Chinese alligator. The American alligator inhabits freshwater wetlands, such as marshes and cypress swamps from Texas to North Carolina. It is distinguished from the sympatric American crocodile by its broader snout, with overlapping jaws and darker coloration, and is less tolerant of seawater but more tolerant of colder climates.

Alligators are apex predators and consume fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Juveniles feed on invertebrates. Alligators also play important roles in wetland ecosystems through the creation of "alligator holes" which provide wetter or drier habitats for other organisms. During the breeding season, males bellow and use infrasound to attract females. Eggs are laid in a nest of vegetation, sticks, leaves, and mud in a sheltered spot in or near the water. Young are born with yellow bands around their bodies and are protected by their mother.

The name alligator is an anglicized form of el lagarto, the Spanish term for "lizard", which early Spanish explorers and settlers in Florida called the alligator.

American alligators typically range between 4 and 4.5 m (13 and 14.8 ft) for adult males and under 3 m (9.8 ft) for adult females.

The SAFARI Ltd figurine scale is nearly 1:21  

Excellent model. I'm thinking in adding an alligator to my collection. The Schleich one was in the number one... until I read this post But the model that nowadays sells Safari is the same mould but different painted, isn't it?

Thank you Joan, I think the painting is still the same, my model is not so old

Nevertheless, if you need only one Alligator you must get the SAFARI Ltd

Wow, great model :) And it's on the current catalog? I wouldn't notice him :) hah, now I think I need it also

Kikimalou wrote:

Thank you Joan, I think the painting is still the same, my model is not so old

Nevertheless, if you need only one Alligator you must get the SAFARI Ltd

well, then the picture in the Safari web is VERY bad

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Is that the same one ?

This alligator is very well manufactured,

Thanks for sharing

SUSANNE wrote:

Is that the same one ?

, I think I bought mine HERE

A nice animal!! Thanks for sharing

If anybody is interested, my local friend can one give up.

thanks! i finally decided to get it. You can tell your friend about that,..
i especially like the dorsal view, although the pose is similar to neverending "attacking big cat" poses,....

I think it look better than the website!

PeGe wrote:

thanks! i finally decided to get it. You can tell your friend about that,..
i especially like the dorsal view, although the pose is similar to neverending "attacking big cat" poses,....

Okay

Ha, another croc singing Fado!
It is nice that you decided to make a walk around about a modern 14 years old figure!
I have the Schleich alligator, a nice gift that I received from Susanne, together with the Schleich garial. Both has the traditional cuteness of Schleich what doesn't work very well in crocodilians!
Anyway I'll keep them! About the Safari figure, I was already very interested in it although it is the first time I see it so nicely! The figure got correctly the typical shape of alligators, its unmistakable smile and snouth. Also the painting is more interesting than I expected. A good figure compared with the Schleich rival and also when compared with most of Safari figures available in 1998. Thanks for your fantastic pictures!

14 years old is not so old For singing Fado of course

These are the 2 alligators,the one at the back is the 1997 model and the other the newer model-as you can see there are slight differences
The other pic is of the 2 alligators with the Safari crocodile for comparison.[img][You must be registered and logged in to see this image.][/img][img][You must be registered and logged in to see this image.][/img][img][You must be registered and logged in to see this image.][/img]

Hello Christophe,
after a good week (I buy the safari alligator - the old coloured one- and found the schleich one really cheap) I have the two alligators just now in my hands , but now I have some doubts about something.
On the schleich one, the shape of the head on its top view, is totally wrong, but very similar to the Chinese alligator

Alligator mississippiensis
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Alligator sinensis
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Maybe the schleich sculptor was based in a chinese alligator

There is another variant. I like this one best.
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(P.S. let me know if the pic works, they changed Photobucket, so not sure that the link will work, Thanks)

Abu Rai wrote:

On the schleich one, the shape of the head on its top view, is totally wrong, but very similar to the Chinese alligator

Alligator sinensis
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Maybe the schleich sculptor was based in a chinese alligator

I agree it looks like the Chinese alligator top view, maybe still a bit different from the side view

Maybe it is a Schleichnese alligator ?

Kikimalou wrote:

I agree it looks like the Chinese alligator top view, maybe still a bit different from the side view

Maybe it is a Schleichnese alligator ?

For sure! and I think there are more Schleich*** rare species :) Biologists must be aware of the news from Schleich

Taos wrote:

These are the 2 alligators,the one at the back is the 1997 model and the other the newer model-as you can see there are slight differences

I can see different paintings but do you mean the model itself is different ?

No, I have the same croc that you do kiki, it is the old color job, then they made an albino, the other one I have, then there is the last paint job which taos has, where the tanish color covers more of the head. Just pointing out that there three variations of this croc, and since no one posted the albino, I thought I would.

it's not an albino. i like Schleichnese Alligatörchen

Saarlooswolfhound wrote:

No, I have the same croc that you do kiki, it is the old color job, then they made an albino, the other one I have, then there is the last paint job which taos has, where the tanish color covers more of the head. Just pointing out that there three variations of this croc, and since no one posted the albino, I thought I would.

PeGe wrote:

it's not an albino. i like Schleichnese Alligatörchen

What a precision Philipp! It is not an albino but it is something else!
Those are leucistics, here a Wikipedia link for those that are interested in reading the differences - Click here! :)

Roger wrote:

Saarlooswolfhound wrote:

No, I have the same croc that you do kiki, it is the old color job, then they made an albino, the other one I have, then there is the last paint job which taos has, where the tanish color covers more of the head. Just pointing out that there three variations of this croc, and since no one posted the albino, I thought I would.

PeGe wrote:

it's not an albino. i like Schleichnese Alligatörchen

What a precision Philipp! It is not an albino but it is something else!
Those are leucistics, here a Wikipedia link for those that are interested in reading the differences - Click here! :)

Thank you Rogério
indeed, it's not only leucistic but. business,....
Those creatures are traded for a lot of money although they have serious problems with UV-light,....