Safari Ltd: New for 2023

[Shane]

any aquatics this month?

Potentially...

[SpartanSquat]

S @Shane : You mean in july or august?

[Flaffy]

None of these look particularly prehistoric... Hope the cetacean isn't another Orca though and something more interesting.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I am inclined to say the one tail looks more foxy to me, but it could be a new arctic wolf. A tree boa? A new dragon and... some sort of cetacean. Promising images!

[suspsy]

None of these look particularly prehistoric... Hope the cetacean isn't another Orca though and something more interesting.

Can't say I'm excited by any of these.

[BlueKrono]

I'm really hoping for a right whale dolphin. I'm currently repainting a CollectA Basilosaurus as one.

[Faelrin]

Thankful for Shane's input and info as always, as Safari Ltd kind of dodged that question that person asked in that post @SpartanSquat raised. I mean I find it very unlikely they didn't see it, since they paid enough attention to answer their first question, but not their second one. Based on these teases, and Shane's info, might be safe to say no prehistoric ones right now, but at least we know a few more is coming. I was already pretty satisfied with what has been shown so far for this year.

I'll be honest though, with how spread out things have been, it has been harder for me to plan out an order in advance though. Prior years where everything was revealed, and give or take released, at once, it was easier for me to plan ahead for one of their eventual sales. Granted there's also been a smaller number of figures releasing these past few years as well. I found it easier to get a bunch in bulk with the website sales, plus to take advantage of the free shipping they offered for certain amount spent. There's also some other stuff that has since changed that also complicates things. Not Safari Ltd's fault in any case though. I think the last haul I ordered was back in 2021 with the Baryonyx, but most of it was for my nieces.

How have folks managed? Did you do something like I did, getting them in one bulk order (on sale or otherwise), or just as they come into stock? I imagine it is much different outside the US.

[Gwangi]

I like snakes and cetaceans so I'm eager to see what those two are. A right whale dolphin would be fantastic. The snake looks to be an emerald tree boa. Safari has made that species a few times in the past and it would be cool to get another one. I suppose the fluffy tail belongs to an arctic fox but that seems like an unusual choice since Safari currently has two in production. Maybe it's a domestic dog breed.

[stargatedalek]

I mean, the snake or cetacean could easily be prehistoric.

[Gwangi]

I mean, the snake or cetacean could easily be prehistoric.

I suppose the fluffy mammal could be too but I wouldn't bet on any of them being prehistoric. A prehistoric cetacean would
be wonderful though.

[Halichoeres]

I mean, the snake or cetacean could easily be prehistoric.

I suppose the fluffy mammal could be too but I wouldn't bet on any of them being prehistoric. A prehistoric cetacean would
be wonderful though.

Yeah in theory any of the three could be prehistoric, but the possible taxa would be kinda out of character for Safari.

[Sim]

I'm very curious about what Safari's next prehistoric figures will be, it's interesting there will be more this year.  The lists of most requested animals and Carnegie Collection figures to be remade have decreased quite a lot, I think.  The animals I can most imagine Safari making would be Plateosaurus, Herrerasaurus and Gallimimus...  I would be happy to see all three, and a new Rhamphorhynchus too.

Safari has made tyrannosauroids for three years in a row, but it doesn't seem like there's an obvious choice for one this year, unless they maybe choose a new Guanlong or Dilong?  Caudipteryx also seems possible, and Safari doesn't have a therizinosaurian in their Wild Safari line...  They also only have one stegosaurian...  I would love a new Kentrosaurus!

With all the ceratopsian retirements I don't imagine there will be a new one this year...

[Halichoeres]

I'm very curious about what Safari's next prehistoric figures will be, it's interesting there will be more this year.  The lists of most requested animals and Carnegie Collection figures to be remade have decreased quite a lot, I think.  The animals I can most imagine Safari making would be Plateosaurus, Herrerasaurus and Gallimimus...  I would be happy to see all three, and a new Rhamphorhynchus too.

Safari has made tyrannosauroids for three years in a row, but it doesn't seem like there's an obvious choice for one this year, unless they maybe choose a new Guanlong or Dilong?  Caudipteryx also seems possible, and Safari doesn't have a therizinosaurian in their Wild Safari line...  They also only have one stegosaurian...  I would love a new Kentrosaurus!

With all the ceratopsian retirements I don't imagine there will be a new one this year...

Yeah, I keep expecting a therizinosaur and a 'prosauropod.'

[Jose S.M.]

I often forget Beipiaosaurus and Dilong when I count what Carnegie collection figures they haven't updated in their current prehistoric line. I think Anzu and Citipati make up for Oviraptor and Caudipteryx but those can be still made in the future. Maiasaura and Plateosaurus are still missing and I don't remember more but I could be wrong.

Anyway is exciting and encouraging that there are still some prehistoric reveals in the near future.

[Faelrin]

I mostly just want a new mammal. Haven't had one since 2019, and there's like so much they could still do (dire wolf, Megaloceros, etc).

Aside from some older figures that are still available that could use an update (some in dire need like that Mosasaurus), which I previously posted in this thread, here's the remaining Carnegie Collection genera that have yet to get a new figure:

-Beipiaosaurus (original is still good. Might be just the coloration that is outdated?)
-Caudipteryx
-Corythosaurus
-Deinosuchus
-Deltadromeus
-Dilong (the original is still really good)
-Euoplocephalus
-Maiasaura
-Miragaia
-Oviraptor (Citipati might be a replacement)
-Plateosaurus
-Protoceratops
-Saltasaurus
-Sinraptor
-Tanystropheus

Not Carnegie, but retired, older Safari Ltd:
-Gorgosaurus
-Guanlong
-Hypacrosaurus
-Kentrosaurus
-Leptoceratops
-Mamenchisaurus
-Nigersaurus
-Torosaurus

Utahraptor was definitely this year's replacement for the older retired non Carnegie figure. That said, I don't know how likely any of these will get replacements any time soon, especially with the heavy theropod focus since 2021 (with a few bright exceptions like the Dino Dana Zuul, and Estemmenosuchus). I'd love a new updated Maiasaura from them, for example, but it feels unlikely to happen any time soon. Who knows, maybe the rest of this year's releases might break from that trend.

[Jose S.M.]

Oh I was missing quite a lot! I kind of see Malawisaurus as a replacement for Saltasaurus but I still want the Saltasaurus to be done.

Deltadromeus is very fragmentary so I don't know if it would be done at least by Doug who seems to prefer more complete remains to base his sculpts.

Sinraptor I totally forgot about it and now that I was remembered of it I can recall a time I almost buy it but declined.

I don't really know why Safari hasn't made a Protoceratops yet. I'm sure it will be great when it's finally done.

Miragaia and Euplocephalus would be amazing since Safari's armored dinosaurs are always great and they haven't made many of them.

[SpartanSquat]

Which new ceratopsians have been retired beside pachyrhino, einio and nasuto?

[Saarlooswolfhound]

I would LOVE a modern interpretation of a dire wolf from Doug Watson. Not just a "biggified" wolf, but the new understanding that we have of them (built more like an overmuscled rottweiler crossed with a bear). Just like their ancestral amphicyonidae.

[Faelrin]

@SpartanSquat Just those three last I checked. Diabloceratops, Psittacosaurus, Regaliceratops, Styracosaurus, Vagaceratops, and of course Triceratops are still present.

@Saarlooswolfhound That's honestly news to me. Not the recent renaming into Aenocyon dirus, and recent look at its genetic history, but the other bit there. A quick glance at wikipedia's page of the group mentions something about recent studies seeing them as basal caniforms, which I was not aware of. I'll have to check out those papers it referenced at some point.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

The newest research on dire wolves is truly groundbreaking. I got to handle some of the material that was used for a study (genetic analysis) when I was back in college. At the time they were curious about any hybridization with extinct and modern wolves (i.e. arctic wolves to name one). Come to find out... they're a completely new group unto themselves! They merely convergently evolved with wolves. But I digress...