#NP8124 GREAT WHITE SHARK

The great white shark is a streamlined swimmer and a ferocious predator with 3,000 or more teeth. This fish has a torpedo-shaped body, a pointed snout, a crescent-shaped tail, 5 gill slits, no fin spines, an anal fin, and 3 main fins: the dorsal fin (on its back) and 2 pectoral fins (on its sides). When the shark is near the surface, the dorsal fin and part of the tail are visible above the water. Great whites average 12-16 feet long. The biggest great white shark on record was 23 feet long, weighing about 7,000 pounds. Females are larger than males, as with most sharks. Shark pups can be over 5 feet long at birth. This Hand Puppet, however, is just 24 inches long.

GREAT WHITE SHARK (FG7124)

At 12 inches long, this Finger Puppet is half the size of the Hand Puppet above. Your fingers go in from the underside to move the mouth. Click on picture for larger image.

#NP8111 TIGER SHARK

The tiger shark has tiger-like markings on a dark back with an off-white underbelly. Pups have spotted markings that grow together to form stripes that fade with maturity. It has a large, thick-body with a blunt snout. Tiger sharks have a special gill slit (a spiracle) behind the eyes that provides oxygen flow directly to the eyes and brain. It also has a very good sense of smell, electroreceptors sensitive to electric currents in the water, and keen eyesight. This Hand Puppet is 24 inches long.

TIGER SHARK (FG7111)

At 12 inches long, this Finger Puppet is half the size of the Hand Puppet above. Your fingers go in from the underside to move the mouth. Click on picture for larger image.

#NP8115 THRESHER SHARK

Thresher sharks (also known as mackerel sharks) are very strong swimmers who can vault completely out of the water. Common threshers have small jaws, but can use their tail to corral and even kill fish. Like other mackerel sharks, it has an anal fin, 5 gill slits, 2 dorsal fins, no fin spines, a mouth behind the eyes, and no nictitating eyelids. It is mostly nocturnal (most active at night). This Hand Puppet is 24 inches long.

BLUE SHARK (FG 7110)

At 12 inches long, this Finger Puppet is half the size of the Hand Puppet above. Your fingers go in from the underside to move the mouth. Click on picture for larger image.

#NP8114 HORN SHARK

Slow and sluggish, horn sharks spend their days hidden in crevices or among rocks—unseen for the most part since their coloration matches the muddy browns and greens of their surroundings. Unlike sleek-bodied pelagic sharks, the lumpy horn shark is a poor swimmer—at times it crawls along rocks on its pectoral fins. The teeth lining the front of the jaws are sharp and used for grasping prey while the teeth in the back of the jaw are flat molarlike teeth useful for crushing hard prey. The common name, "horn," refers to the spines in front of each dorsal fin. This Hand Puppet is 24 inches long.

#NP8121 WHALE SHARK

The whale shark is NOT a whale but it is the biggest shark. It has a huge mouth (which can be up to 4 feet wide) at the very front of its head (not on the underside of the head like in most sharks). It has a wide, flat head, a rounded snout, small eyes, 5 very large gill slits, 2 dorsal fins (on its back) and 2 pectoral fins (on its sides). The spiracle (a vestigial first gill slit used for breathing when the shark is resting on the sea floor) is located just behind the shark's eye. Its tail has a top fin much larger than the lower fin. It also has distinctive light-yellow markings on its very thick dark gray skin (up to 4 inches thick). As the largest fish in the world, the whale shark can be up to 46 feet long and weigh up to 15 tons. This Hand Puppet is just 24 inches long.

#NP8122 GREAT HAMMERHEAD SHARK

The great hammerhead shark has a wide, thick head with the eyes at the margins. The head is indented at the center of the "hammer," which is almost rectangular in shape. This shark is gray-brown above with an off-white belly. The first dorsal fin (the large fin on the top of the shark that most people associate with sharks) is very large and pointed. The average great hammerhead shark is up to 11.5 feet long. The largest reported was 20 feet long. These large sharks average over 500 pounds but can weigh as much as 1,000 pounds. This Hand Puppet is 24 inches long.

#NP8123 BLACKTIP REEF SHARK

The blacktip reef shark (or carcharhinus melanopterus) is a common reef shark with distinctive black markings on the ends of its fins and a blunt snout. It also has a white streak on its side. The blacktip reef shark is widely displayed in aquariums, as it is one of the few sharks that does well in captivity. Its teeth are located in rows which rotate into use as needed: the first two rows are used in obtaining prey, the other rows rotate into place as they are needed. As teeth are lost, broken, or worn down, they are replaced by new teeth that rotate into place. The blacktip reef shark can grow up to about 6 feet long but this Hand Puppet version is just 24 inches.

#NP8125 LEOPARD SHARK

The leopard shark is found on the Pacific Coast of North America. It likes to live around coral because that gives it protection as well as a good food source. They have many small, sharp teeth equipped with points long enough to puncture the skin. The leopard shark is a very slim animal with a narrow head. It may grow up to 6 feet, but it does range from being 3 to 6 feet long. This Hand Puppet is 24 inches long.

#2064 SHARK

You can run but you can't swim fast enough to evade this awesome predator of the deep. Fortunately, his skin is soft velour and his teeth are vinyl, so even if he catches you, you'll feel no pain from this cuddly (but fierce!) Shark puppet. This Hand Puppet is 22 inches long.

Manta rays are the largest rays and are closely related to sharks. These harmless rays have a short tail and no stinging spine. They are very acrobatic; they can even leap from the water. These graceful swimmers are up to 29.5 feet wide, but average about 22 feet wide. The largest weigh about 3,000 pounds. Mantas eat microscopic plankton, small fish, and tiny crustaceans. They funnel the food into their mouth while they swim, using two large, flap-like cephalic lobes which extend forward from the eyes. Mantas have no teeth; they sieve their food. Mantas swim in tropical seas, living both close to shore and in open seas. This Hand Puppet is 24 inches in size.

MANTA RAY (FG7128)

At 12 inches long, this Finger Puppet is half the size of the Hand Puppet above. Your fingers go in from the underside to move the mouth. Click on picture for larger image.

STINGRAYS & SKATES

Rays and skates are similar species that are closely related to sharks. Most rays are kite-shaped with streamlined tails that may have one or more poisonous barbs or spines. In contrast, skate tails are fleshier and heavier, and have small fins. Rays like our Blue Spotted Stingray #NP8126 (left, below) can grow up to a width of 22 feet and weigh several tons. The Common Skate #NP8127 (left, top) ranges in size from 16 inches to 5 feet in length. Both Hand Puppets are about 24 inches in size.

BLUE-SPOTTED STINGRAY (FG7126)

At 12 inches long, this Finger Puppet is half the size of the Hand Puppet above. Your fingers go in from the underside to move the mouth. Click on picture for larger image.

COMMON SKATE (FG127)

At 12 inches long, this Finger Puppet is half the size of the Hand Puppet above. Your fingers go in from the underside to move the mouth. Click on picture for larger image.

#NP8166 SPOTTED EAGLE STINGRAY

The Spotted Eagle ray is found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate waters. It can be over 8 feet long (or close to 16.4 feet including tail). The width can be nearly 10 feet with a weight of up to 507 pounds. This Hand Puppet is 24 inches wide.

SPOTTED EAGLE STINGRAY (FG7166)

At 12 inches long, this Finger Puppet is half the size of the Hand Puppet above. Your fingers go in from the underside to move the mouth. Click on picture for larger image.

SEA LION (2820)

Who can resist a face like this? The big beautiful eyes and super soft plush make this Sea Lion especially huggable with a very easy to move mouth and head. Sure to be a coastal favorite. Our Hand Puppet Sea Lion is 16 inches long, 10 inches wide and 9 inches tall. Click on picture for a larger view.

SEA LION PUP (3052)

Characteristically poised in a recognizable silhouette, our SEA LION PUP is a readily trainable hand puppet. Animate mouth and fore flippers of this lovable marine mammal to see what tricks this clever critter can perform. He is 11 inches long, 8 inches wide and 7 inches tall. Click on picture for a larger view.

#2537 HARBOR SEAL

The Harbor Seal spends much time basking on beaches and rocky shores, sometimes alone but usually with several other individuals, and occasionally in groups numbering in the thousands. Our Harbor Seal Hand Puppet is 19 inches long.

California Sea Lion

Australian Sea Lion

SEA LIONS

The California Sea Lion (NP8161B) (SOLD OUT) lives along the Pacific coast from Baja California to Alaska. They are playful, smart, and graceful in the water. The trained "seals" in zoos and aquariums are often California sea lions because they are intelligent, agile and work easily with humans. The Australian Sea Lion (NP8161A) is found only in Australia, living along parts of the western and southern coastline They are very social animals, and gather in groups of 10-15. They spend time sunbaking on sandy beaches and rocks. These Hand Puppets are 19 inches long, have working mouths and do not require a fish diet no matter what they tell you!

RINGED SEAL (NP8157)

There are 18 different kinds of seals today. They can be found in all the oceans and in a few freshwater lakes. Seals do not have an ear that extends from the skull, but they can still hear very well.  Seals propel themselves through the water with their rear flippers while their front flippers are used for steering.  The front flippers of seals are short with sharp claws.  Seals cannot use their rear flippers to walk on land or ice and most appear awkward when moving on these surfaces.  Seals have a torpedo like shape in the water and use their rear flippers to move rapidly to catch prey and escape predators.  This Hand Puppet Seal is 24 inches long.

HARP SEAL (NP8158)

This Hand Puppet Seal is 26 inches long.

COMMON SEAL (NP8159)

This Hand Puppet is 26 inches long.

WALRUS (NP8162)

Walruses (from Dutch: wal meaning "shore", and r(e)us meaning "giant") are large semi-aquatic mammals that live in the cold Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. Two subspecies exist: the Atlantic, Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus, and the Pacific, Odobenus rosmarus divergens. The Pacific walrus is slightly larger, weighing up to 4,000 lbs, but the Atlantic walrus tops out at 3,500 lbs. This hand Puppet is 20 inches long.

#NP8156 MANATEE

The average adult manatee is about 10 feet long and weighs between 800 and 1,200 pounds. Manatees can be found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, bays, canals and coastal areas. Within the United States, they are concentrated in Florida in the winter, but they can be found in summer months as far west as Texas and as far north as Virginia. They can also be found in the coastal and inland waterways of Central America and along the northern coast of South America. This Hand Puppet is 24 inches long and has a workable mouth.

#NP8106 SHORT-BEAK COMMON DOLPHIN

The short-beaked common dolphin has a streamlined, slender body with a long beak (although shorter than that of the long-beaked Atlantic common dolphin below). They lack sweat glands so they release heat through their flippers. The males are slightly larger than the females, with an average length of 5-8 ft and an average weight of 160-297 lbs. Their jaws contain a total of 80-110 teeth and they are the fastest of all the small dolphins, reaching speeds of 27 mph. They communicate with a series of high-pitched whistles and clicks and have an average life span of 25 years. They must surface every 2-3 minutes to breathe. This Hand Puppet is 24 inches long.

#NP8108 ATLANTIC COMMON DOLPHIN

Atlantic common dolphins vary greatly in appearance and are also known as Long beaked dolphins, Saddleback dolphins, Criss-cross dolphins, and Cape dolphins. Of the two major varieties of common dolphins called the short beaked common dolphin (above) and the long beaked common dolphin (left), the body of the short beaked common dolphin is slightly more robust and the head is more rounded. There are also differences in behaviors and feeding patterns. This Hand Puppet is 24 inches long.

ATLANTIC COMMON DOLPHIN (FG7108)

At 12 inches long, this Finger Puppet is half the size of the Hand Puppet above. Your fingers go in from the underside to move the mouth.

#2165 DOLPHIN

The playful dolphin arches its body to leap out of the waves. Use one hand to animate its grinning mouth, the other to flip the tail. This puppet is sure to make a splash! This Hand Puppet is 17 inches long.

EELS

These Hand Puppet Eels range in length from 44 to 52 inches. From left to right: Zebra Eel (NP8129), Moray Eel (Sold Out) and Gulper Eel (NP8142).

SOMETHING FISHY HERE?

Yes, and their names are (left to right) Coral (16563) and Neptune (06214). Each is 12 inches long.

TROPICAL FISH

Each is 16 inches long from nose to tailfin. Hand enters from underside. Top left to right: Anemone Clownfish (NP8131), Blue Girdled Angel (NP8133), Powder Blue (NP8134), Bottom: Angel (NP8132).

Please do not tap on the glass as it annoys the fish.

MORE TROPICAL FISH

Each is 16 inches long from nose to tailfin. Hand enters from underside. Row 1: Half-spotted Hankfish (NP8135), Zanzibar Butterflyfish (NP8136). Row 2: Coral Fish (NP8137), Lined Sweetlips (NP8138). Row 3: Spitlure Frogfish (NP8139), Opah (NP8141).

SALMON & HATCHETFISH

Left to right: Sockeye Salmon (NP8146) is 21 inches long. Hatchetfish (NP8148 SOLD OUT) is 16 inches long. Click on image for a larger, more detailed picture.

WHALE (3040)

Designed with whimsy in mind, our WHALE hand puppet is a delightful storybook creature. Animate the mouth of this soft plush character to share tales with your little loved ones. He is 13 inches long, 7 inches wide and 7 inches tall. Click on the picture for a larger view.

HERMIT CRAB (#2867)

This cute Hand Puppet can pull back into his convenient mobile home (shell). He is 13 inches long, 9 inches wide and 11 inches tall. Click on the image for more detail.

Rock lobsters differ from other lobsters by lacking pincers on the first pair of walking legs. The carapace (shell on the head region) is orange-red in color in shallow water, but deep water lobsters can be reddish-purple or lighter in color. The Rock Lobster is distinguished lobster species by two long spines (horns) projecting forward from the front of the carapace beside the eyes. This Hand Puppet is 18 inches long.

#NP8144 RED LOBSTER

More common as the symbol of a sea food restaurant chain than in real life, a "red lobster" would probably be more acurately described as a "reddish rock lobster." This Hand Puppet is 18 inches long. Click on image for more detailed view.

GREEN LOBSTER (NP8144B)

Lobsters of a different color (red, blue, brown, etc.) take on their color through their diet. This Hand Puppet is 18 inches long. Click on the image for a larger view.

RED OCTOPUS (2974)

This fascinating creature is true to life with vivid coloration and eight movable arms. Each arm is operable with printed suction cups on the underside. Easy to wriggle around, our Red Octopus Hand Puppet literally fits like a glove, instantly coming to life. It is 19 inches long, 19 inches wide and 4 inches tall. Click on picture for a larger view.

#NP8164 OCTOPUS

This hand puppet is 20 inches long and has movable tentacles. Click on picture to expand image.

#NP8165 CUTTLEFISH

This Hand Puppet has movable tentacles and is 20 inches in length. Click on image for a larger, more detailed picture.

CUTTLEFISH (FG7165)

At 12 inches long, this Finger Puppet is nearly half the size of the Hand Puppet above. Your fingers go in from the underside to move the tentacles.

SEAHORSE (NP8163)

The seahorse is a true fish, with a dorsal fin located on the lower body and pectoral fins located on the head near their gills. Some species of seahorse are partly transparent and are rarely seen in pictures. Seahorses (and pipefishes) are notable for being the only species in which males become pregnant. This Hand Puppet is 18 inches tall. Click on image for a larger view.

#FG7163 SEAHORSE

This Finger Puppet is 12 inches tall.

WEEDY SEADRAGON (NP8145)

The Weedy Seadragon (or common seadragon), is a marine fish related to the seahorse. They are slow-moving and rely on their camouflage as protection against predation; they drift in the water and with the leaf-like appendages resemble the swaying seaweed of their habitat. They lack a prehensile tail that enables similar species to clasp and anchor themselves. Our Hand Puppet Seadragon is 34 inches long. Click on picture to expand image.

NAUTILUS (3083)

Nautiluses are usually only found in the Indo-Pacific, from 30° N to 30° S latitude and 90° to 175° E longitude. They inhabit the deep slopes of coral reefs. But now... behold the bounty of the sea with the our NAUTILUS hand puppet. This marvelous mollusk is cleverly designed with movable tentacles to propel and explore the depths of your imagination. It is 11 inches long, 5 inches wide and 7 inches tall. Click on picture for a larger view.