Archive for the 'Hansa Woodland Stuffed Animals' Category
My daughter is about halfway through the fourth grade, and she recently came home to announce an upcoming homework assignment. Her task was to do some research on a particular species of animal, including the physical characteristics, behavioral traits and natural habitat. We had taken numerous trips to the zoo over the years, and I knew before she even told me that she’d be focusing on some type of primate or another.
As it turned out, she had chosen the squirrel monkey. These monkeys make their home in South and Central America, mostly in the canopy layer of tropical forests. Their distinctive dark shading around the eyes gives the appearance of mascara. To surprise my daughter, I went online and found a plush monkey toy that resembled a squirrel monkey in every superficial way. Suddenly she had a helpful prop to aid in her presentation.
Ever since I moved to a picturesque spot in the Michigan wilderness, I’ve been captivated by the local wildlife. During the course of my attempts to lure birds to my backyard feeders, I’ve also attracted some less desirable critters. At night raccoons and opossums feast on the sunflower seeds that have been knocked down to the deck below. Throughout the day, squirrels launch an aerial attack on the feeders from overhanging tree limbs.
Even though I’m engaged in mortal combat with those pesky squirrels on a regular basis, there’s no denying how cute and cuddly they appear. My youngest son is 3 years old, and for his birthday this year we bought him a Hansa plush squirrel that looks just like the rodents that bombard our backyard feeders. The stuffed twitter is holding a plush nut, though, not a sunflower seed.