I notice you refrained from going into the whole were-there-really-only-12-shapes-of-animal-even-
allowing-for-the-fact-that-neither-America-nor-
Australia-had-been-discovered-yet issue. Perhaps that's a different letter.
Hmmm. Bears? Capybaras? Worrying. I expect more zoological accuracy from my educational toys. Highly disappointing!
Hello and welcome, Expateek. Capybara looks pretty close, though for the time being we have gone with the single syllable "bear".
Katy - there are actually only six shapes of animal because of course there are two of each.
Why does no ark set ever, ever ever include mosquitoes? I have wondered this for ages now and not found a satisfactory reason. Given that the animals are all produced at the same size, regardless of actual mass ratios, I don't find the whole 'too itsy-bitsy' argument rational. I have a feeling that it's to prevent young children from realizing the heinous crimes of Noah in faithfully including the full range of biting insects in his little escapade but I'd quite like the Noachian product manufacturing community to weigh in just so I know for sure.
I think they look a bit like Tasmanian Devils. But then of course you've got the whole 'Australia not invented yet' thing again, bringing to mind the whole creationist-evolution controversy. Suggest you press ELC for an early response: they could be pushing some dodgy far-right Christian ideology here.
Clearly the lovechild of a sock monkey and a dog, with hooves. Clearly.
Where's the 'Pride' related gay lion pun?
Also "bummers"?
Theologically speaking the entire Ark debacle is a total mess. Frankly, God's pretty embarrassed about the whole thing.
As an employee of Early Learning Centre, I can assure you that the only reason you have two male lions is because it's cheaper than manufacturing a male and female.
I have no idea what those weird bear-pig things are, but if I find out I'll let you know.
Hello and welcome, One Fine Weasel. Yes, maybe they are promoting creationism, but perhaps they are balancing that by also promoting gay marriage.
Hello and welcome, Gvansomething. Excellent work on "pride". Superb. Yes, I was going for a retro irony with "bummers", but on reflection, maybe even under my faux-disingenuous pseudonym I didn't quite manage it. "Bumming", maybe, but not "bummers". I've just thought of replacing it with "tail-lifters", but then I suppose all lion intercourse involves tail lifting? Also there is the possibility of confusion with a Luton van.
Hello and welcome, Mg. Yes, I suspect that Richard Dawkins only needed to get as far as Genesis before saying "Hang on a sec..."
Perhaps there are expansion packs you can buy with the rest of the animals. A keen marketing ploy there.
Blasphemy! How dare the ELC get such a central tenet of the Christian faith wrong! Genesis 7:2 clearly states that he took 7 of each clean animal and two of every unclean 
I think the unidentified ones look most like bears, if a strangely coloured variety.
Or perhaps its an animal that fell off the ark before Noah realised to put railings around the edge? The animal has remained unknown to man until discovered by the ELC's theological research division?
Hello and welcome, Donald. Or perhaps the lions were hungry.
Lksn - A superb marketing ploy. I can see the kids in the playground now: "I'll swap you two duck-billed platypuses for a pair of lesser-spotted woodpeckers". And with at least three million species of animal, "Gotta catch 'em all" is going to bring in some serious revenue.
Don't be silly, there is no such thing as a duck-billed platypus. Has anybody actually seen a real one in the flesh ? I don't think so.
no sign of Shem, Ham or Japeth, either.
And how will he know when the flood has receded if there is no dove in the box?
LB - Good point. I feel another letter coming on. And even with the heterosexuals that Noah's managed to save (humans included) the gene pool will be far too limited to create a viable new population.
Q. What was Noah's wife called?
A. Joan of Ark!
Where's the pair of sloths?
We have a cuddly animal which has no obvious species. It might be a sheep, or maybe a lamb, or perhaps a rabbit. It annoys me.
We also have a plethors of Noah's Ark type toys, which is kind of odd now I think of it. I hadn't thought about it before. Does this make me a bad parent?
Hello and welcome, Gail. They missed the boat.
And hello and welcome, Beleaguered Squirrel. Perhaps your sheep/lamb/rabbit hybrid is something that Noah failed to save.
I have been to a platypusery in Melbourne, AU, and can confirm they exist. I can also confirm that I have made the "get thee to a platypusery" joke on more than one occasion, usually over wine.
Could the mystery creatures be red hippo-pigs, the larger brethren of the guinea pig, less beloved at the local petstore, since they are not the size of a foot?
Although there's a bearishness about the snout...perhaps those red pandas, like I've seen on zooborns.com?
Hello and welcome, The Subtle Rudder. I too have seen a platypus in Melbourne and can confirm that either they exist or we were part of a mass hallucination.
They are surely "Everyanimal" - that is, they stand for all the others that were there but that the ELC weren't going to bother to put in.
Oh, and the carnivores lived on fish, didn't they? The roof was thatched with hay and the herbivores got by on that.
z - The 'every-animal' is an excellent get-out clause that I expect to hear a lot more of from religious fundamentalists.
By the way: does the package include mrs. Noach? Or did humans not get rescued as a pair (same sex or otherwise)?
I guess it is just showing the two males. It is a common misconception that Noah took two of each animal but that in fact was not the case. So maybe the lady lions weren't up to walking with the lions..
Hello and welcome, Jessica. Perhaps the lady lions are busy below decks cooking and cleaning.
Taconcubano - There is indeed a Mrs Noah (you can see her standing on the deck with her husband), but by only including two humans in this set there is of course the same incest problem that cast doubt on the whole Adam and Eve story. You'd think they'd have fixed that.
You are right, she is in the picture. Totally overlooked that. But I agree on the incest bit. Reckon the two male lions have started all those troubles with the priests and the young boys? Or is that a leap to far.
My son got one of these for his birthday, and it had two Noah's in it! Now that really is supporting gay rights.
Hello and welcome, Kath. Which means there must be one somewhere with two Mrs Noahs. Then we just need one where Japheth is undergoing gender realignment and I think we have it all covered.
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