Woolly Mammoth (AAA)

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Buy on

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Review and photographs by Indohyus, edited by Suspsy

Mammuthus primigenius, the fabled woolly mammoth, is an iconic Ice Age animal well known around the world, a symbol of the amazing adaptability of mammals. This mighty beast is the first prehistoric mammal to be immortalized in plastic by toy companies. With skeletal remains, frozen carcasses, and cave paintings to base this prehistoric probiscidian on (no more alliteration, I promise!!!), most should be accurate. Is AAA’s? We’ll see . . .

At 6.6″ from trunk to rear and 4.0″ from head to hoof, it’s a squat figure to be sure. It has a very shaggy appearance, good for a woolly animal. It’s a comparatively dark pelt, much darker then other renditions. This covers most of the figure, with the exception of the white tusks and hooves, red on the eyes, tip of trunk, and tongue, and a bizzare pinkish colour on the underbelly. This was most likely done to label the animal, but it looks like it has a bald patch. The pose is very stoic, with the raised trunk and open mouth being the only active parts.

Even as an old figure, a woolly mammoth shouldn’t be hard to get right, yet this has several obvious mistakes. There is no hump, the head is too rounded, and the tail (though very short on mammoths, was still present) is missing. The overall proportions are a bit off too, with short, dumpy legs that give it a very squat body. The rest is ultimately correct though. The trunk and tusks are great, as are the feet, with the correct number of toes. A very mixed bag for accuracy.

Overall, this is not the best among mammoth figures. It is certainly not gonna be for collectors. However, the charmming nature and somewhat cheery appearance makes it perfect for kids. They will, as I did in my childhood, gain many hours of joy from this figure. It is a retired figure, so if you do want this figure, eBay is the best place to search.