My Little Garden Zoo: 2022 ZONE 5) Europe

 Most actual zoos completely skip over hosting animals from Europe.  Fortunately, most figurine manufacturers are based in Europe!  It's interesting when looking at the scientific name of an animal to discover those whose species and genus are the same.  This is know as a tautonym. Previously we saw Gula gula (Wolverine), Bison bison (American Bison), and Alces alces (Moose).  This zone contains two more.

The European Animals in my collection that are NOT on display include: Eagle Owl, Atlantic Puffin, Chamois, Roe Dear, Hedgehogs, Wild Boar, Hermann's Tortoise, Griffon Vulture and Reindeer.  And still, there are 6 species on exhibition:

ALPINE IBEX, Capra ibex

EUROPEAN BADGER, Meles meles

IBERIAN LYNX, Lynx pardinus

MOUFLON, Ovis gmelini

RED DEER, Cervus elaphus

WHITE STORK, Ciconia ciconia

My Little Garden Zoo: 2022 ZONE 4) Arctic Ring

 At first glance, there is something very logical and satisfying in organizing a zoo around geographical regions like continents.  Of course, the downside is that all animals don't restrict themselves to living on just one continent (or one ocean, for that matter).  It's easy to see this when you consider the migratory nature of many birds, for example.  While I placed the Mallard Ducks in Zone 3, truth be told, Mallards live on every continent except Antarctica, and given climate change, it's only a matter of time before they invade there, too.

My decision to focus this idea into a separate zone that would encompass the arctic ring of the northern hemisphere is based more on the fact that mammals make up such a large percentage of the spill-over.  Did you know that Moose, which are ubiquitous in Canada and iconic in some northern states like Maine, and Minnesota are also found across Scandinavia southeastward into Poland and then all the way across Russia to the far reaches of eastern Siberia?  In fact, in Europe, they are referred to as "Elk".  

With that information in your pocket, the species that qualify for this zone, but are NOT on display in my collection include: Caribou, Walruses, Arctic Fox, Arctic Wolf, Arctic Hare, Snow Owl, Musk Ox, and Narwhal.  Four species; however, did make the cut.  They are diverse and iconic in their own right and help to illustrate the diversity of this idea.

POLAR BEAR, Ursus maritimus

MOOSE (Elk), Alces alces

HARBOR SEAL, Phoca vitulina

TIMBER (Gray) WOLF, Canis lupus 

My Little Garden Zoo: 2022 ZONE 3) North American and the Caribbean

 Like the two zones before this one, there are a lot of animals that I just don't have the space to display.  In the first post I think I said that I was only displaying about 60% of the all the difference species of figurines in my collection.  Now, that I'm really thinking about the ones not on display, I'm inclined to revise that down to I'm only displaying about 45%!  

Those NOT on display for this zone include: White-tailed Deer, Elk, Pronghorn Antelope, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Red Fox, Striped Skunk, Eastern Chipmunk, Great Horned Owl, Caribbean Flamingo, Peregrine Falcon, American Bald Eagle, American Green Tree Frog, Pheasant, Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Eastern Cottontail, Woodchuck, Canadian Lynx, Puma, Black Bear, California Desert Tortoise, Gray Seal, and California Sea Lion.  For the 22 species not out this year, there are 17 that are!

AMERICAN ALLIGATOR, Alligator mississippiensis

AMERICAN BISON, Bison bison

BARN OWL, Tyto alba

COLLARED PECCARY, Dicotyles tajacu

COYOTE, Canis latrans

EASTERN CORAL SNAKE, Micruru Fulvius

FLORIDA, MANATEE, Trichechus manatus

GILA MONSTER, Heloderma suspectum

GREAT BLUE HERON, Ardea herodius

GRIZZLY BEAR, Ursus arctos horribilis

HELLBENDER, Cryptobranchus alleganensis

MALLARD DUCK, Anas platyrhynchos

NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTER, Lontra canadensis

RACCOON, Procyon lotor

ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT, Oreamnos americanus

TIMBER RATTLESNAKE, Crotalus horridus

WOLVERINE, Gula gula

Breakfast: Rancheros Omelet with Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce

 

Life Quote #4 - Rod Serling

 

My Little Garden Zoo: 2022 ZONE 2) South & Central America

 Like Zone 1, space forces choices.  Not on display this year are Ocelot, Margay, Jaguar, Golden Lion Tamarin, Howler Monkey, Black Spider Monkey, Green Anaconda, Blue Poison Dart Frog, Strawberry Poison Dart Frog, Galapagos Tortoise and Llamas.  However, 15 species made the cut!  And this region is happy represented by these!

ALPACA, Lama pacos

BLUE & YELLOW MACAW, Ara ararauna

BROWN-THROATED THREE-TOED SLOTH, Bradypus variegatus

CAPYBARA, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

CHILEAN FLAMINGO, Phoenicopterus chilensis 

COMMON BOA CONSTRICTOR, Boa constrictor constrictor

GEOFFROY'S SPIDER MONKEY, Ateles geoffroyi

GIANT ANTEATER, Myrmecophaga tridactyla

HYACINTH MACAW, Anodorhynchus hycinthinus

KEEL-BILLED TOUCAN, Ramphastos sulfuratus brevicarinatus

MANED WOLF, Chrysocyon brackyurus

SCARLET MACAW, Ara macao

SOUTHERN TAMANDUA, Tamandua tetradactyla

SQUIRREL MONKEY, Saimiri sciureus

TOCO TOUCAN, Ramphastos toco albogularis

My Little Garden Zoo: 2022 ZONE 1) Australia & Oceania

I was just thinking about how this little seasonal distraction of mine is now entering its ninth year. I've learned that it is impossible to create a "zoo" where all of my animal figures can be on display. So now each year I make choices in the hopes of created a balanced and interesting display.

This year 92 species made the cut.  This is only about 60% of my growing collection.  I've arranged them in my mind into 8 zones.

1) Australia & Oceania

2) South & Central America

3) North American and Caribbean

4) The Arctic ring

5) Europe

6) Asia

7) Africa

8) Antarctica

I will share them in posts by zone.  Zone 1 focuses on Australia, New Zealand and the island of the Pacific Ocean, and by extension Papua-New Guinea and nearby islands.  I have 9 species on display, and 9 others not.  Those NOT out this year include: Dingo, Sulphur Cockatoo, Australian Green Tree Frog, Southern Cassowary, Possum, Platypus, Common Wombat, Numbat, and two species of Tree Kangaroo (Matschie's and Lumholtz's).  

Zone 1 Animals

CENTRAL BEARDED DRAGON, Pogona vitticeps

EASTERN BARRED BANDICOOT, Perameles gunnii

EASTERN GREY KANGAROO, Macropus giganteus

EASTERN QUOLL, Dasyurus viverrinus

KOALA, Phascolarctos cinereus

QUOKKA, Setonix brachyurus

SHORT-BEAKED ECHIDNA, Trachyglossus aculeatus

TASMANIAN DEVIL, Sarcophilus harrisii

YELLOW-FOOTED ROCK WALLABY, Petrogale xanthropus