The characters in Planet Zoo.
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Humans (UNMARKED SPOILERS FOR CAREER MODE)
Bernard "Bernie" Goodwin
Voiced by: Colin McFarlane
The kindly, wealthy old owner of multiple zoos, he's dedicated his life to saving endangered species and improving animal welfare around the world. Warm, humorous, and with a goofy sense of humor, he's as lively and compassionate as ever.- Benevolent Boss: Arguably the kindest character in the game.
- Big Good: Your employer and the owner of the zoos you work for, he's working for the benefit of the animals and visitors alike.
- Never Found the Body: He goes missing in the arctic partway into career mode. He returns in the last mission and encourages you to take Myers' corrupt chain of zoos down for good.
- Non-Idle Rich: He's impressively wealthy, but he sees his wealth as nothing more than a means to continuing his work raising environmental awareness.
- Noodle Incident: He never gives any details about exactly what happened during his stay in the arctic, but he claims he made a wrong turn and spent three months in an igloo in the final level, and mentions getting cast adrift on a glacier and "spending several months with a lovely Inuit family" who couldn't understand a word he said in the Arctic DLC.
- So Unfunny, It's Funny: He cracks a lot of "dad jokes", which just make him more endearing.
Nancy Jones
Voiced by: Noni Lewis
Bernie's head zookeeper, Nancy is a plain, no-nonsense sort who nevertheless constantly has the welfare of the animals and visitors in mind. She has high standards and expectations for her employees but holds herself to those same standards.- Apron Matron: She got where she is through hard work and common sense, and she expects it from everyone else.
- Benevolent Boss: Downplayed; she's a little sterner than Bernie, but very much agrees with his views and attitude.
- Deadpan Snarker: Her sense of humor is as dry as the Sahara, in contrast to Bernie's goofiness.
- Sacrificial Lion: A nonlethal example - Myers fires her right off the bat after he takes over for reasons unknown.
- The Bus Came Back: She's written out of career mode after Myers fires her. A few years later, the Twilight Pack DLC revealed she has not been idle this whole time, and she puts the player in charge of one of Myers' abandoned zoos.
Emma Goodwin
Voiced by: Secunda Wood
Bernie's daughter, Emma very much agrees with her father's goals and attitude. She doesn't make an appearance until relatively late in Career mode, but after her father vanishes in the Arctic, she's outraged at Dominic Myers running his zoos into the ground and dumping the workload on you. Fortunately, she's got plans of her own.- Benevolent Boss: She becomes yours after Myers lays you off.
- The Bus Came Back: After the events of the main game’s career mode, Emma was not seen again in any of the DLC stories until a few years later, with the release of the Oceania pack.
- Heroic Lineage: Her attitude is very similar to Bernie's, and she's dedicated to coming up with a rival line of zoos to run the corrupt Myers out of business.
- Sixth Ranger: She only arrives about halfway through career mode, after her father goes missing.
- So Unfunny, It's Funny: Shares her dad's love of bad jokes.
Dominic Myers
Voiced by: Dave Jones
A notoriously slimy hedge fund manager. After Bernie goes missing in the arctic, Dominic purchases his chain of zoos and seeks to expand them... by purchasing cheap, often polluted land, stuffing them full of the cheapest, flashiest junk he can find, and filling them with whatever animals he feels like. Nearsighted, ignorant, and greedy, he's the closest thing the game has to a Big Bad.- Bad Boss: And how. The midsection of career mode is largely spent dealing with his incompetence and poorly-conceived zoo ideas.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: His eye is constantly on the bottom line, and he really doesn't care about anything else but good publicity.
- Cross-Popping Veins: Never seen in person, but at one point, Tiffany mentions that after she told him he was going to be working with the player again, his forehead "did this big gross veiny thing."
- Evil Brit: He has a British accent, and is a pure slimeball.
- Evil Has a Bad Sense of Humor: Constantly threatens to fire you, or make you the scapegoat and tries to pass it off as a joke.
- Faux Affably Evil: He tries to put up a show of having some kind of compassion for, well, anything besides money, but it's so comically easy to see through that he just comes across as Laughably Evil.
- Never My Fault: When Myers encountered you and Emma again in the final level, he claims that you are betraying him even though he fired you first.
- Stupid Evil: He really doesn't know anything about the animals, and doesn't care - he demands that you put giraffes, cheetahs, and orangutans into a cold-weather zoo because they're "fuzzy" and he doesn't want to spend money keeping them warm.
- Tyrant Takes the Helm: The early part of career mode is easy and lighthearted, with characters who actually care about the animals' welfare before he shows up. Once he does, the player will be struggling to deal with the nearsighted demands of a cartoonishly greedy, selfish man who seeks profit above all else.
- Ungrateful Bastard: After the player actually succeeds in making all his ill-considered zoos profitable, he fires them.
- Villain with Good Publicity: The zoos are entirely a public-relations project for him, and he doesn't even pretend otherwise when he talks to the player. It initially works, too. That said after he fires the player, all that goodwill he invested in quickly comes crashing down.
Tiffany Summers
- Character Development: Over time, her work slowly opens her eyes to how proper animal care is done, and their importance to the world's ecosystems. Her attitude towards the player character and her own actions develops in a similar vein; her taking credit for the player's work was what got her ownership of the Summer Project, but by the time Tiffany's Paradise Park becomes a success, she's willing to admit to her father that the player did about 90% of the actual work... but her father is still impressed, because 10% is still far more than she usually does.
- Coming of Age Story: Her whole character arc is this, to an extent. She gets a large, dangerous, endangered pet confiscated by authorities, then changes her mind about her methods of care when she sees how much happier they are under the player's care. She then stands up against one of her father's worst employees and takes over from him when it becomes obvious he's doing a terrible job managing the Summer Project, which she was supposed to be doing from the start. It kicks into high gear with her second personal zoo, Tiffany's Paradise Park, which she takes a personal interest in managing when her father explicitly states he won't bail her out if she fails.
- Daddy's Girl: She seems to legitimately dote on her wealthy father. It probably helps that he's clearly funding her lifestyle, apparently giving her a six-figure monthly allowance. When he starts treating her more like an adult in the wake of the Summer Project's success, she outright states that she doesn't like it at all initially.
- Dumb Blonde: Very blonde, and very much The Ditz. That said, her time working for various zoos - and legally owning a couple - starts turning it to Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold as she starts learning more about the animals she legitimately does love.
- Ignorant Minion: In the Tropical Pack, Tiffany returns to help the player under the watchful eye of her father's right-hand man… who happens to be Dominic Myers. She quickly learns better.
- Naïve Animal Lover: Her idea of "caring for the animals" involves dressing the cute ones in little clothes and housing them in her own home with Egyptian cotton towels. She gets much better over time.
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: She actually didn't really mind Dominic Myers stealing from the Summer Project's petty cash, since she's rich already... she took issue with his choice of vintage champagne that he blew it on, because she thinks he should have gotten "the fresh stuff".
- Spoiled Sweet: Despite her vapid attitude and shallowness, it’s made clear that much of it is out of ignorance more than anything else, and she really does want the best for the animals. Apparently, she initially saw the Purmamarca Educational Reserve as something of a temporary boarding facility for her exotic pets and planned on taking them back after her pool house was renovated, but changed her mind after realizing they were much happier in their new homes.
- Valley Girl: A textbook example, she fills out the basic stock archetype checklist quite nicely, being vapid, wealthy, ditzy, and obsessed with social media. That said, her moments of character growth are often underlined with her losing the usual speech patterns.
Animals
Species added in the Standard Edition
African Savannah Elephant (Loxodonta africana)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
The biggest land animal on Earth, these massive, intelligent animals are among the most impressive, popular, and expensive animals you can display in your zoos. Initially simply called the African Elephant, their species was clarified in a later update.- Awesome, but Impractical: While they're enormously popular with guests - in fact, they're among the most popular animals a zoo can have - they need huge amounts of space, a social group, lots of food, and they're very expensive. Plus, their immense size and strength mean they need some pretty powerful ways to contain them. As a result, only well-established and wealthy zoos would be wise to adopt them.
- Cruel Elephant: They - especially the males in musth - have the potential to get quite violent. While this isn't a gameplay mechanic, it's the ostensible reason they don't get compatibility bonuses if they're housed with other animals.
- Honorable Elephant: Hugely popular among guests, so long as they're well-kept and cared for.
Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Large, powerful bears from northwestern North America. Solitary, and with a fearsome reputation that isn't undeserved.- Palette Swap: Justified, since they're two different Brown Bear subspecies from different parts of the world, but they do have a few differences from the Himalayan Brown Bear. They're slightly less popular and expensive, require more room, and their young mature slower, but they're more tolerant of high temperatures.
West African Lion (Panthera leo leo)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
A lion subspecies from western Africa. While lions, in general, aren't doing badly, the West African subspecies is critically endangered, numbering only about 250 specimens in the wild.- King of Beasts: Among the four most popular animals in the game, the most popular of the cats, and they can be kept in much larger numbers than the other large felines. In addition, they’re found all over the “Classical” architecture style, and even the game’s logo and cover art place them front and center.
- Panthera Awesome: Not quite the largest of big cats, but very close, and very popular exhibits.
Plains Zebra (Equus quagga)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat
Medium-sized, famously striped equines from southeastern Africa. They live in small herds and get along with many other herd animals from African grasslands.Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
Large, heavyset, semiaquatic African ungulates. Despite their bulky and inoffensive appearance, they're infamous for the Xenophobic Herbivore trope in reality (though this is downplayed in-game).- Angry, Angry Hippos: Zigzagged between this and Huggy, Huggy Hippos; while not aggressive towards other herbivores as long as their needs are met, they don't get any bonuses for cohabitation with other species the way most other African grassland species do. That said, too many males in one habitat will lead to some vicious fighting. They also have some fairly large space requirements, similar to those of Elephants.
Timber Wolf (Canis lupus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Large canine predators from across the northern hemisphere, wolves live in small groups with complex pack requirements. Though very closely related to domestic dogs, they are not their direct ancestors, and the subspecies of wolf that is is most likely extinct.- Noble Wolf: If kept in a well-maintained pack, fed, and cared for, they can be a popular exhibit animal. Moreover, career mode sees the player setting up a breeding pack in a Nevada zoo for Emma Goodwin, which is contrasted with Myers' more cynical exploration of Pandas.
- Savage Wolves: This said, wolves have a complex social pack structure in-game, which is best handled by adopting a 50/50 balance between males and females (or making a pack of up to 6 of either gender exclusively). Too many of one or the other can lead to some nasty infighting. And of course, they will attack any smaller herbivores they're exhibited with.
Ring Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Small primates found on the southern reaches of the island of Madagascar. While endangered, they are a highly popular "flagship" species to represent the primitive primates of the island in popular culture.- Weaponized Stench: When in competition for mates, males will engage in "stink fighting" by rubbing their tails through scent glands on their shoulders and wrists, then wafting their tails at each other.
Galapagos Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
The largest tortoises on Earth, these big reptiles dwell exclusively on the Galapagos Islands off the coast of South America.- Long-Lived: If well-cared for, they can last well over a century.
Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Enormously tall ungulates that specialize in feeding on high branches. Giraffes in general are the tallest animals on Earth, if not the heaviest.- Genial Giraffe: Unlike elephants and hippos, they're even-tempered enough to get cohabitation points with other African grassland herbivores. They're also one of the game's more popular species with guests.
Western Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Among humanity's closest relatives. Very social, highly-intelligent tool users, dexterous, strong, intelligent apes with an occasionally terrifying capacity for violence.- The Generic Guy: Among the great apes in-game. Unable to be comfortable in solitude like Orangutans, not quite as cheap as Bonobos, and not quite as popular as Gorillas, but cheaper than the latter and just as popular as the former (and able to be housed in greater numbers).
African Wild Dog
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Medium-sized canine predators from sub-Saharan Africa. While not the largest, fastest, or strongest predators on the African plains, their impressive stamina, and pack hunting strategies give them a much higher hunting success rate than other predators.- Boring, but Practical: They're not the biggest or most impressive predators, but they aren't too expensive and have low habitat requirements, and since they're endangered, breeding them will net you conservationist points.
- The Power of Friendship: One of the most social predators; they can comfortably live in packs of over two dozen animals.
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
The fastest land animal on Earth, a feline with a body incredibly well-adapted to speed... but not much else.Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
The world's largest crocodilians, with a range stretching from Southeast Asia to northern Australia. Powerful ambush predators with an immense bite force.- Never Smile at a Crocodile: While just as harmless to visitors as any other animal in-game, the zoopedia does mention it as responsible for more human deaths than any crocodilian (except maybe the Nile Crocodile).
Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Relatively small, speedy antelopes from the deserts and grasslands of southwest Africa. Swift, nimble survivalists, they can get all the water they need from the plants they eat.- Com Mon: Relatively cheap and common, but not very popular.
- Shrinking Violet: Very shy, they don't like being watched by guests, though they can be found in large herds.
Black Wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Large antelope from the grasslands of southern Africa.- The Power of Friendship: They have a very high social requirement (a 7-animal herd is the minimum for keeping them comfortable) and can get compatibility bonuses with most other African herbivores.
Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Medium-sized birds native to the Indian subcontinent, the males are known for their spectacular plume of tail feathers. They're among the cheapest animals in the game and require relatively little space.- Com Mon: Cheap and easy to keep, but they aren't particularly popular with guests compared to other animals.
- Explosive Breeder: They breed very easily, but perhaps too easily, as they could end up overcrowding the habitat.
Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Large striped felines from southern India, and one of the biggest cats in the world.- Panthera Awesome: Big, impressive felines, and like the Siberian Tiger, almost as popular with guests as Lions.
Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Large carnivores from the grasslands of Sub-Saharan Africa. Sturdy and adaptable, they're among the most successful large African predators.- Matriarchy: Their packs in-game are led by an alpha female, and the females in general are slightly larger and stronger than the males.
Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus)
Status: Domesticated
Interactivity: Habitat
The famous "two-humped" camel from the arid steppes of central Asia. One of the two fully domesticated animals in the game, they are hardy animals that can endure drought and a wide range of temperatures.- Beware the Nice Ones: Despite their "domesticated" status and generally laid-back attitude, they can bite if provoked, and have little fear of humans. As a result, visitors aren't allowed in their enclosures.
- Only Friend: They get cohab bonuses only with Przewalski's Horses.
Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Great apes from the island of Borneo, particularly well-adapted to life in the trees. Unlike most primates, they don't need a social group for comfort, though they'll also cohabitate comfortably in small groups.- Erudite Orangutan: Sort of. They're still animals, with animal intelligence, but like all primates, they need a lot of interactive objects to keep them from getting bored.
Common Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
The largest birds in the world, big flightless bipeds from the plains of sub-Saharan Africa. They're also the fastest-running birds in the world, sprinting at up to 46 mph.Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A medium-sized wild porcine from across sub-Saharan Africa. Their massive tusks are mostly used for rooting for food, but occasionally for self-defense.- Com Mons: Cheap, easy to care for, and hardy, but one of the less popular attractions.
- Full-Boar Action: Not as impressive as some fictional examples, but they'll occasionally turn the tables on would-be predators.
Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
Medium-sized felines from the mountains of central Asia. Extremely elusive and shy, they are superbly adapted to their snowy high-altitude home.- Great White Feline: Well, more of a very pale gray with black rosettes, but it still applies.
- In a Single Bound: Incredible leapers, even for cats, able to jump 6 meters in height and 15 meters in length. This makes them surprisingly hard to build habitats for, as they can jump straight over all but the tallest walls.
- Shrinking Violet: Extremely wary of humans, and solitary in general.
Aldabra Giant Tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Sizeable tortoises from Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles Islands. After the extinction of several different giant tortoise populations on islands across the Indian Ocean, they have been re-introduced to those islands in a bid to recreate the local ecosystems.- Explosive Breeder: Zigzagged; while they breed in huge numbers, they grow up very slowly.
- Long-Lived: They can live over 250 years, and seldom die of old age in a game.
Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
Big, thick-skinned rhinos from southern Asia. They prefer to have a decent amount of water in their habitats and can swim surprisingly well.Okapi (Okapia johnstoni)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Large ungulates from the densest rainforests of the Congo. Secretive, shy, and elusive, they are closely related to Giraffes.- Shrinking Violet: Extremely shy and reclusive, they live deep in the rainforest, relying on surprising stealth to stay undetected. In-game, they don't get enrichment bonuses from sharing their enclosure with other species, unlike most similarly-sized African ungulates until the red river hogs got introduced in the tropical pack.
Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
A subspecies of Asian elephants from across southern mainland Asia. They're often preferred in zoos over their African cousins because of their more docile temperament.- Honorable Elephant: Due to their more docile nature than their African cousins, they can get cohabitation bonuses with a couple of other species (Namely, Proboscis Monkeys and Malayan Tapirs).
- Palette Swap: Justified, since they're two related real-world animals, but Indian Elephants have a few things that set them apart: they have a higher socialization need (5 animals minimum, as opposed to the 3 of the African Elephant), they're a little less expensive, and not quite as popular with visitors, but they also have much lower space requirements.
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Large crocodilians from waterways across India. Now, their population is restricted to four small stretches of river and is critically endangered.- Artistic License – Biology: They share the high-walking animation of other crocodilians in-game, but in real life, Gharials are unable to support their bodies with their legs and drag themselves through the sand and mud when out of the water.
Pronghorn Antelope (Antilocapra americana)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Not a true antelope, but the last surviving member of its own family, these fleet-footed ungulates can be found grazing across the western plains, mountains, and deserts of North America.- Shrinking Violet: Visitors can enter their habitats... because between their shyness and speed, those visitors won't get anywhere near them.
Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A dog-sized burrowing mammal from sub-Saharan Africa. Shy and reclusive, it feeds almost exclusively on ants and termites.- Odd Friendship: The only animal that gets a mutual habitat bonus with the shy, solitary Aardvark is the much smaller, super-social Meerkat.
- Shrinking Violet: Solitary, very shy, and not a fan of crowds, whether human or animal.
- Trademark Favorite Food: In addition to its diet of ants and termites (and meat gruel, in captivity), Aardvarks are the only animal that will eat the Aardvark Cucumber, which grows underground and is dependent on Aardvarks to spread their seeds. This is reflected in-game by said cucumber being their highest-tier food option.
- Tunnel King: Can use the Large Burrow for shelter.
Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
The largest monkeys in the world, these primates live in the rainforests of Western Africa. The males are known for their distinctive, brightly colored faces and rumps.Baird's Tapir (Tapirus bairdii)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Big, heavyset semiaquatic herbivorous ungulates related to Rhinos, from the tropics of South and Central America.Himalayan Brown Bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
A subspecies of brown bear from south-central Asia, around the Himalayas in particular. Critically endangered, their wild population is in serious danger.- Palette Swap: Justified, since they're two different Brown Bear subspecies from different parts of the world, but they do have a few differences from the Grizzly Bear. They're slightly more popular and expensive, and require less room, and their young mature faster, but they're not quite as tolerant of high temperatures.
Gemsbok (Oryx gazella)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A large species of desert antelope from the arid regions around the Kalahari and Namib deserts of southern Africa. They're superbly adapted to the desert and can survive without drinking water, getting all their moisture from their foods.African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat
A big, heavily-built ungulate from southern and eastern Africa. While the game simply calls it the African Buffalo, its scientific name and appearance reveal it as the Cape Buffalo subspecies.Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Small climbing mammals from wooded parts of the Himalayas and southern China. Their diet chiefly consists of bamboo.- Shrinking Violet: Very shy; and prefer habitats with lots of climbing and hiding spots.
Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Among the biggest primates in the world, these great apes live in family groups in the rainforests of central Africa.- Difficult, but Awesome: They're among the most popular animals in the game, rivaling Lions and Elephants, and they're very expensive, but they don't need as much space. That said, they do have social needs and require some climbing room, but since they're critically endangered, breeding them is enormously beneficial.
- Gentle Gorilla: The game takes this view towards them... well, mostly, as guests can't enter their enclosures.
Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Medium-sized antelopes from the wooded savannah of southeast Africa. Unlike many horned animals, both males and females have large horns.- Color-Coded Characters: As they age, their coats turn a darker shade of brown. This helps determine seniority in their herds.
Formosan Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus formosanus)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
A subspecies of Asiatic Black Bear, they are the largest mammals (and only bears) in Taiwan. They live in a diverse array of habitats. They were more comfortable in warmer, tropical habitats at launch, but subsequent updates made them more comfortable in cooler climates.- Shrinking Violet: They're slightly timider around guests than other ursine.
Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A large monitor lizard from sub-Saharan Africa. They're fairly common in their range, and fill a similar niche to small crocodiles.Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat
A large species of forest antelope from Central Africa, they live in small groups in dense tropical rainforests.Bonobo (Pan paniscus)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
The smallest of the great apes, and close relatives of the Chimpanzee, these African primates live in matriarchal family groups. Considerably less aggressive than their Chimpanzee relatives, they are known for being very... "affectionate" with one another.- Matriarchy: Unlike Chimpanzees, they live in a society where females tend to hold more social status.
Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Small armored insectivorous mammals from across southern Asia. Their large claws and scaly, keratinous armor are typical of pangolins. Sadly, their population is critically endangered in the wild.- Shrinking Violet: Very shy, solitary, and timid.
Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Massive tigers from northeastern Asia. Arguably the biggest felines in the world, they are the only tiger species that live in the snow.- Palette Swap: Sort of. Justified by the animals being two different actual subspecies, but the biggest difference between the two is the Siberian's preference for colder temperatures.
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Tall wading birds with distinctive pink feathers and downturned beaks. They're found in brackish and saltwater marshes across southern Eurasia and coastal Africa.- Com Mon: Relatively cheap, and easy to breed, but not that popular with guests.
- The Power of Friendship: While Flamingos themselves never get much more popular with guests, they mitigate this better than other cheap animals by having an extremely high population limit of 500 animals, giving them lots of potential for expanding their population. That said, they're so social they also need a flock of at least 10 individuals to be fully socially comfortable.
Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
A famed black-and-white bear from the mountains of China, with a diet of mostly bamboo. Very popular among guests.- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: One noted in-game for conservation programs involving the species: Bernie is quite happy to note that Giant Pandas, a a symbol of conservation, have in recent years been lifted out of the Endangered status after extensive conservation programs.
Nyala (Tragelaphus angasii)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Striped antelopes from southern Africa. Unlike other antelopes, they need to drink daily, and are seldom found far from a water source.- Only Friend: Oddly, they don't get cohabitation bonuses with any other animals - except for the Southern White Rhino.
Red Ruffed Lemur (Varecia rubra)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A critically endangered species from the rainforests of northern Madagascar, these are the largest lemurs on Earth. They are locally known as the Maky in Malagasy.Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A medium-sized, highly social, tailless monkey from the mountains of Japan. Highly adaptable, many of them live in cold, alpine areas, giving them the nickname "Snow Monkeys".- Silly Simian: Acclimated well enough to humans that guests can safely enter their enclosures. They're also quite popular with guests.
- The Power of Friendship: They have some pretty high social requirements, needing a minimum of 8 other of their species to be satisfied.
American Bison (Bison bison bison)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat
Big, tough bovines from central North America. Though hunted nearly to extinction in the 19th century, they have made a remarkable comeback thanks to conservation efforts.Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A species of lemur with a distinctive black-and-white coat. Critically endangered due to hunting and habitat fragmentation. This animal was added for free in the 1.7.2 update to celebrate Planet Zoo's 2nd anniversary.- Rule of Three: The third lemur added to the game, all of which get cohabitation bonuses if housed with the other two.
Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Large ungulates that are found in most of Europe and Western Asia. This animal was added for free in the 1.11.2 update to celebrate Planet Zoo's 3rd anniversary.Collared Peccary(Dicotyles tajacu)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A relative of wild pigs known to inhabit areas of North, Central, and South America around the equator. This animal was added for free in the 1.15.2 update to celebrate Planet Zoo's 4th anniversary.Lesser Antillean Iguana (Iguana delicatissima)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Exhibit
A close relative of the Green Iguana, from the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. Due to hunting by invasive species, habitat loss, and hybridization with the invasive Green Iguana, they are critically endangered.- Palette Swap: Aside from the gray coloration, the biggest difference between it and the Green Iguana is the lack of a large scale on the jaw.
Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
A heavy-bodied, nonvenomous snake from across the tropics of South America and a few Caribbean islands, this large snake has a number of different populations and subspecies with distinctive color variations.- Palette Swap: One of the few Exhibit animals with at least one color variation.
Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria nigriventer)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
A very large spider from the tropics of South America, known for wandering the forest floor for prey. Its bite is highly venomous and can be dangerous to humans.Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
A mid-sized herbivorous lizard from tropical South and Central America, and several islands in the Caribbean. They are frequently kept and bred in captivity.- Palette Swap: The biggest difference between it and the Lesser Antillean Iguana is the presence of a single large scale on its jaw.
Lehmann's Poison Frog (Oophaga lehmanni)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Exhibit
A poisonous little frog from eastern Colombia. While critically endangered due to habitat destruction and capture for the pet trade, it is fully protected in its home range.Goliath Birdeater (Theraphosa blondi)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
The largest spider in the world, an eight-legged nocturnal tarantula from tropical South America. They prefer living in wet, swampy areas.Titan Beetle (Titanus giganteus)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
A very large species of beetle from the rainforests of Central and South America.- Artistic License – Biology: Like other Exhibit animals, they need to be fed (leaf litter and detritus), and live a couple of years in captivity in the game. In reality, adult males do not eat and only live for a short time, spending their adult lives looking for mates. As for their prolific breeding in captivity, their longer-lived larvae have never been found.
- Explosive Breeder: Such prolific breeders that raising and selling them for profit is a legitimate gameplay strategy for zoos strapped for cash.
Yellow Anaconda (Eunectes notaeus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
A very large, nonvenomous snake native to the Paraguay River and its tributaries. It dwells in the river, and hunts in shallow water.Goliath Frog (Conraua goliath)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Exhibit
The largest frog in the world, a big predator from fast-flowing rivers in the rainforests of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Sadly, they are an endangered species.Giant Forest Scorpion (Heterometrus swammerdami titanicus)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
The biggest scorpion in the world, a black-armored arachnid from India.Golden Poison Frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Exhibit
A highly toxic tree frog from the rainforests of Colombia. The largest of poison dart frogs, it has enough poison on its skin to kill between 10 and 20 people.Giant Tiger Land Snail (Achatina achatina)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
A very large land snail from several countries on the West African coast, named for their orange-striped shells. They are a popular food item in much of their range, but an invasive pest in some areas of the New World.- Artistic License – Biology: The snails are simultaneous hermaphrodites in the wild and have functioning male and female organs. In-game, there are male and female snails.
- Com Mon: Cheap, but not the most popular of exhibits.
Brazilian Salmon Pink Tarantula (Lasiodora parahybana)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
The fourth largest tarantula in the world, from the rainforests of South America. They are often kept in captivity due to their relatively docile nature and large size.Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
An extremely venomous snake from drier parts of eastern Australia.Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
A big scorpion from the deserts of southwest North America. It has a relatively weak sting, but will occasionally eat smaller scorpions.Amazonian Giant Centipede (Scolopendra gigantea)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
A large, many-legged predatory arthropod from the rainforests of South America and the southern Caribbean. Growing over 30 cm in length, it is a powerful, armored hunter.Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Exhibit
A heavyset, pebbled carnivorous lizard from the deserts of southwest North America. It's one of the few lizards with a highly venomous bite.Puff Adder (Bitis arietans)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
A wide-bodied venomous snake from sub-saharan Africa and the southern Middle East. It is responsible for the most snakebite deaths in Africa.- Snakes Are Sinister: The zoopedia is surprisingly unsympathetic towards them, painting them as particularly bad-tempered and aggressive towards humans, while not giving other snakes the same treatment.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
A venomous snake from the deserts of southwestern North America. It's best known for the large "rattle" on the tip of its tail that it uses to dissuade predators and threats.Common Death Adder
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
Heavyset, venomous snakes from across southern and eastern Australia.Goliath Beetle (Acanthophis antarcticus)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
The heaviest beetle in the world, from the rainforests of central Africa. They feed on fruit and tree sap.- Artistic License – Biology: Like other Exhibit animals, they can live a few years in captivity. In reality, adult beetles live for maybe a year under optimal conditions.
- Explosive Breeder: Not so much as the Titan Beetles, but are a decent option for breeding and selling for profit.
Giant Burrowing Cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
Big burrowing ground roaches from the dry forests of northern Australia. They're surprisingly popular pets in their native range.Mexican Red Knee Tarantula (Brachypelma hamorii)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Exhibit
A medium-sized species of tarantula from the Pacific coast of southern Mexico. Its vivid, distinctive coloration makes it popular in captivity. Species added in the Deluxe Edition
Pygmy Hippo (Choeropsis liberiensis)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Much smaller, shyer, and somewhat less aquatic than their huge cousins, these endangered hippos dwell in the dense rainforests of west Africa.- Huggy, Huggy Hippos: They fit this stereotype better than their larger cousin, being shyer and more docile.
- Mini Mook: Sort of. They are much smaller but just as popular as regular hippos, don't have the huge space requirements, and give players greater conservationism rewards since they're endangered. However, they're also best kept in much smaller groups (or even solitary), so they lack the draw potential of large groups.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: The small, shy blue oni to the common hippo's fearless, pugnacious red.
- Shrinking Violet: Easily spooked, and best kept in quiet habitats.
Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
The largest lizard in the world, a predator from a few Indonesian islands, particularly Komodo.Thomson's Gazelle (Eudorcas thomsonii)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
The most common gazelles in East Africa, these small grazers are among the fastest animals in the world.- Com Mon: Cheap, and can be kept in large numbers, but not particularly popular with guests.
- Shrinking Violet: Very shy around visitors. That said, they do well in groups, and will get cohabitation bonuses with many other African herbivores.
Species added in the Arctic Pack
Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
Massive white bears from the ice floes of the Arctic, these fearsome predators are also excellent swimmers.- Awesome, but Impractical: One of the most popular animals in the game - right up there with lions, elephants, and gorillas - and unlike them, they don't have any social requirements, so just getting one is fine. That said, they have absolutely GIGANTIC space requirements (far larger than any other animal, even after a couple updates that reduced this requirement somewhat), have aquatic needs as well, and need to be kept constantly cold so they don't overheat (and they overheat at anything above 10 degrees Celsius). Consequently, most players find them more trouble than they're worth.
- Polar Bears and Penguins: You can create a habitat like this in-game, but unless you turn predation off in Sandbox mode, it's... not a good idea.
Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
Large cervines from the northern forests of North America, Europe, and Asia. Both males and females frequently grow large antlers.Arctic Wolf (Canis lupus arctos)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A subspecies of Wolf from Canada's Queen Elizabeth Islands. Unlike most wolves, they're covered in distinctive white fur.- Noble Wolf: If kept in a well-maintained pack, fed, and cared for, they can be a popular exhibit animal.
- Palette Swap: One of the more blatant examples. There's barely any difference between them and Timber Wolves, save for their preferring colder weather and slightly simpler pack dynamics. Since Timber Wolves are already comfortable in fairly cold weather, this barely makes a difference in game mechanics.
- Savage Wolves: Like Timber Wolves, they have a complex social pack structure in-game, which is best handled by adopting a 50/50 balance between males and females (or making a pack of up to eight of either gender exclusively). Too many of one or the other can lead to some nasty infighting. Of course, they will attack any smaller herbivores they're exhibited with.
Dall Sheep (Ovis dalli)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Wild sheep from the high mountains of northwestern North America. Excellent climbers, they will travel great distances in search of salt licks.- Sweet Sheep: Zigzagged. Shy around humans, and not particularly aggressive towards other species, though those horns aren't just for show.
- Use Your Head: The males will occasionally headbutt each other for dominance. They'll occasionally headbutt each other - and even wolves - off high cliffs.
Species added in the South America Pack
Llama (Lama glama)
Status: Domesticated
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Large relatives of Camels from the steppes and highlands of the Andes. They have been domesticated as pack animals for centuries, and their thick wool spun into clothes.- Color-Coded Characters: Upon initial release, all Llamas in-game were white. Since then, a couple of upgrades have given players Llamas with many different shades of brown, white, and patches of both.
- Com Mon: Cheap, and good starter animals for cold-weather zoos, but not terribly popular.
Jaguar (Panthera onca)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat
A powerful feline ambush predator from South and Central America, and the third-biggest cat in the world (after Lions and Tigers).- Don't Look At Me: They don't like visitors watching them, since they're ambush predators.
- Panthera Awesome: The most popular animal with guests in the South America pack, and an impressive predator.
Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Big insectivorous mammals from the rainforests and plains of South and Central America. Their massive claws are designed to tear into anthills and termite mounds, and they collect ants on their long, sticky tongues.- Artistic License – Biology: Visitors can enter their habitats in-game without danger. This is NOT recommended in real life, as they can occasionally be dangerous and aggressive toward people.
Colombian White-Faced Capuchin Monkey (Cebus capucinus)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A medium-sized monkey from the rainforests of South and Central America. Fast and nimble, they are excellent climbers, and require a lot of climbing space.- The Power of Friendship: They get cohabitation points with a few different South American herbivores, and can be housed in large numbers.
Red-Eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
A brightly-colored tree frog from the rainforests of Central America. They have very high humidity requirements for their exhibits. Species added in the Australia Pack
Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
The biggest marsupials in the world, these hopping herbivores live in open, arid regions across Australia.- Herbivores Are Friendly: Guests are able to enter their habitats without issue.
- Kangaroos Represent Australia: All over the decorations and marketing to an even greater extent than the other Australian animals. Ironically, they're not actually particularly popular with guests in-game.
Dingo (Canis lupus dingo)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
Descendants of dogs introduced to Australia thousands of years ago, they have since been fully acclimated into the ecosystem. The apex predators of most of the continent.- Alpha and Beta Wolves: Played straight, like with all canines. However, it may be justified by the fact that canines in captivity don't always have the same social orders as ones in the wild.
Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Large, flightless, black-feathered birds from the rainforests of northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Indonesia. Heavily built, they only eat small animals and plant matter but can be territorial and aggressive.Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Small arboreal marsupials from the Eucalyptus forests of eastern Australia. Their diet consists almost entirely of Eucalyptus leaves.- Herbivores Are Friendly: Guests are able to enter their habitats without issue.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter: Arguably the main reason they're the most popular animal with guests in the Australia pack.
Eastern Blue Tongued Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
Small skinks from arid and wooded regions of Australia. They're named for their bright blue tongue, which they use to startle would-be predators. Species added in the Aquatic Pack
King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus patagonicus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Large flightless, swimming seabirds from islands and coastlines around Antarctica.- The Power of Friendship: Like Flamingos and African Penguins, they can be housed comfortably in populations of up to 500 animals, giving them potentially huge popularity with visitors.
Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
The largest mustelid in the world, a big semiaquatic predator from the Amazon Rainforest. Social and playful, they are endangered due to habitat destruction.- Playful Otter: The first otter in the game, and an above-average draw for guests, they'll play around with each other regularly. Zigzagged a bit in that it's still a predator, and other animals should be kept well away.
Grey Seal (Halichoerus gypus atlantica)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Medium-sized seals from the colder areas of the north Atlantic, living off the coast of Europe and North America.- Sweet Seal: Zigzagged. Fairly popular with guests, and not particularly aggressive, but it's still a predator and smaller animals should be kept away.
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
The smallest species of crocodilian, these reptiles hail from watery parts of South America.Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Exhibit
Small reptiles from brackish swamps on the eastern and southeastern coast of North America. Species added in the Southeast Asia Animal Pack
Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
The smallest species of bear, from the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. They are particularly good climbers.- Beary Friendly: Seriously downplayed, but they're the only bear species that actually gets cohabitation bonuses with another species (The Binturong).
Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
A medium-sized feline from the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. They spend much of their lives in the trees.Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis larvatus larvatus)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
A medium-sized monkey species from the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. They're named for the pendulous noses on the males.Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
The largest tapirs in the world, these semiaquatic herbivores dwell around rivers in southeast Asia.- Palette Swap: Probably the most blatant example in the game. They're smaller in-game than in reality, and have a few minor habits and traits more seen in the Baird's Tapir. Thankfully, their models got enhanced in the 1.16 update making them more distinct from Baird’s Tapir.
North Sulawesi Babirusa (Babyrousa celebensis)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
Medium-sized porcines from a few islands in Indonesia. The males have distinctive tusks that grow completely out of their snouts.Binturong (Arctictis binturong)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Medium-sized arboreal omnivores from the dense rainforests of Southeast Asia.- You Don't Look Like You: Their initial model was wildly inaccurate to the real animal and was redesigned before the DLC was released due to backlash.
Dhole (Cuon alpinus alpinus)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Medium-sized canines with a large range from south to northeast Asia. They can live in a variety of habitats and temperatures.Giant Malaysian Leaf Insect (Phyllium giganteum)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
Big insects from the rainforests of Malaysia, these bugs have impressive leaf-like camouflage Species added in the Africa Pack
African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Small, flightless seabirds from the coast of South Africa. Hunting and harvesting of their guano have contributed to the species' serious decline in the last century.- Explosive Breeder: Penguins will breed quickly, a lot, and quickly fill their habitats with more of their kind. As a monogamous species though, they tend to not run into risks of inbreeding as quickly as other fast breeders. Being endangered also means releasing said offspring is an effective means of farming conservation credits.
- The Power of Friendship: Like a couple of other birds, they can be comfortably housed in groups of up to 500 animals.
Meerkat (Suricata suricatta)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A small, very social mongoose from the plains and deserts of southern Africa. They live in large groups led by an alpha female.- Matriarchy: They're led by an alpha female, and are one of the few species where "bachelor groups" of a single gender can contain many males, but few females.
- Misplaced Wildlife: Downplayed; there are a number of decorative items in the game with an "Ancient Egypt" motif that show Meerkats on them... but Meerkats are exclusive to southern Africa, not northern.
- Tunnel King: They can use the small burrow item for shelter, and tend to dig small burrows of their own.
Fennec Fox (Vulpes zerda)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Small, big-eared foxes from the Sahara desert, perfectly adapted for their hot, arid home.Southern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat
The most common Rhinoceros species in the world (and the only one that isn't endangered), these big horned grazers live on the plains and grasslands of southern Africa.- Rhino Rampage: Actually quite subdued and not very aggressive. In fact, they are docile enough to have compatibility bonuses with nine other savannah animals. When they are riled up, though, they're legitimately dangerous.
Sacred Scarab Beetle (Scarabaeus sacer)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Exhibit
A medium-sized scarab from northeast Africa. Like all scarabs, they roll balls of dung, lay their eggs in it, and let the larvae eat their way out. Species added in the North America Animal Pack
American Alligator (American Alligator)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A big alligator species from rivers, lakes, and ponds across the southeast United States. They can deal with cooler temperatures than other Crocodilians.North American Beaver (Castor canadensis)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Heavyset, semiaquatic rodents from across wooded, wet areas of North America. They're best known for cutting down trees with their large teeth, then using the lumber to dam up streams and construct small "lodges" with underwater entrances.- Unexpectedly Realistic Gameplay: They can't be contained by wooden barriers, for obvious reasons.
Moose (Alces alces)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
The largest deer species in the world, found across the forests of northern North America and Eurasia. They're strong swimmers, and spend much of their time eating in lakes and ponds.California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A medium-sized pinniped from the west coast of North America. Very popular with guests, due to their active, playful natures.- Sweet Seal: The most popular animal with guests in the DLC, and can be kept in large numbers. That said...
- Monstrous Seal: They are still predators, and should not be kept with smaller animals.
Cougar (Puma concolor)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A big cat from across North and South America. An ambush predator with an incredibly wide range.- Boring, but Practical: They're the least popular of the big cats, but are cheap and very easy to care for due to their impressive adaptability.
- Don't Look At Me: Shy around visitors, due to being ambush predators.
Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Small canines from the far northern reaches of the world. Their coats vary from a summer brown to a winter white, and a "blue" phase in between.Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Small burrowing rodents from the Great Plains of North America. They live in underground "towns" that can include huge numbers of individuals.- The Power of Friendship: They live in decent-sized groups, and are harmless enough to let visitors enter their habitats.
- Tunnel King: Like Meerkats, they can use the small burrow item for shelter, and tend to dig tunnels in their habitats if left alone long enough.
American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
A medium-sized frog from the swamps and lakes of eastern North America. Voracious predators, they have established themselves as invasive species in many places outside their natural range.- Jack of All Stats: Not toxic like the poison frogs, and nowhere near as large as the Goliath Frog, but a very adaptable creature with few limitations outside of needing fresh water.
Species added in the Europe Pack
European Fallow Deer (Dama dama)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A small, white-spotted cervine species. Originally native to Turkey and parts of southeastern Europe, they have since spread across Europe and been introduced to many habitats overseas by humans.- Herbivores Are Friendly: Small and inoffensive enough that visitors can enter their habitats without any trouble. That being said, they are not the most bold of creatures, and may not enjoy the attention this brings.
- National Animal Stereotypes: They have British names as default ones, and have called Petworth Park in Britain home for over 500 years.
Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A mid-sized wild cat from cooler forested regions across Europe and Asia. Heavyset and adaptable, they're the largest Lynx species.- Panthera Awesome: Not as large as other examples, but adaptable and widespread, and they still definitely count, since they're the most popular animal with guests in the DLC.
Alpine Ibex (Capra ibex)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A large mountain goat species native to alpine regions of central Europe. Excellent climbers, they can be found casually ascending "paths" no other species would dare approach.European Badger (Meles meles)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Heavyset mustelids from all across Europe. Unlike most badgers, they're fairly social, often living in small groups.- National Animal Stereotypes: As the largest carnivore in Britain, they have British names as their default ones.
- Tunnel King: They can use the large burrow item for shelter, representing their digging abilities in the wild.
Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
Small, brightly-colored amphibians from southern and central European lowlands, wetlands, and forests. Species added in the Wetlands Animal Pack
Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
The largest rodents in the world, heavyset, peaceful grazers from the rivers, forests, and plains of South America.- Explosive Breeder: Capybaras will breed fast. Fortunately they not only get along with each other a lot, but plenty of other animals like them too so a zoo could easily have enough Capybaras to fill multiple exhibits should they not feel like releasing their many children and want cheap cohabitation bonuses.
- Friend to All Living Things: Very even-tempered, and they get mutual cohabitation bonuses with ALL South American herbivores/omnivores - even ones they wouldn't meet in the wild. Capuchins, Anteaters, Peccaries, and Tapirs have some range overlap, so it's understandable, but Llamas are from mountainous regions well out of their range, and Galapagos Tortoises don't even live on the mainland. They even can have humans enter their habitats as walkthrough animals.
- Herbivores Are Friendly: Very friendly herbivorous rodents.
Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Very unusual little semiaquatic monotremes from the waterways of Eastern Australia and Tasmania.Wild Water Buffalo (Bubalus arnee)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Big bovines from the wetlands of central and southeast Asia. Though the ancestors of Water Buffalo, their population is fragmented and endangered.Nile Lechwe (Kobus megaceros)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
Mid-sized ungulates from the grasslands and wetlands of South Sudan and Ethiopia.Asian Small-Clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
The smallest otters in the world, playful, dexterous little semiaquatic animals from the wetlands of central and southeast Asia.- Playful Otter: They fit this trope quite nicely, and get mutual habitation bonuses with a few animals from Southeast Asia.
Red-Crowned Crane (Grus japonensis)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A large wading bird from eastern Asia. They're known for their elaborate courtship dances with one another.- Dance of Romance: They have one as their mating animation.
- Long-Lived: They can reach up to 75 years in captivity.
Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Medium-sized crocodilians from waterways across South America.- Sequel Escalation: Larger and more social than their smaller cousins introduced in the Aquatic Pack DLC. Not quite as popular with visitors, though.
Danube Crested Newt (Triturus dobrogicus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
A small crested newt from the Danube river and its tributaries. The smallest crested newt, they secrete toxins from their bellies when threatened. Species added in the Conservation Pack
Przewalski's Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
A stocky wild horse from the steppes of Central Asia. It was once extinct in the wild, but has been reintroduced to its former habitat after decades of successful conservation.- National Animal Stereotypes: Their default names are Mongolian ones, due to their range covering Mongolia's steppes.
- Only Friend: They only get cohab bonuses with Bactrian Camels.
Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
A rare leopard subspecies from Northeastern Asia. There are only about 100 of them left in the wild.- Don't Look At Me: Like Jaguars, they’re ambush predators who don’t like being watched by guests.
Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
The world's largest species of gibbon, native to the jungles of Southeast Asia. They are known for making loud, resonating calls with the gular sacs in their throats.Scimitar-Horned Oryx (Oryx dammah)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
A species of Oryx from Northern Africa that was declared to be extinct in the wild in 2000. There are ongoing captive breeding programs with the goal of reintroducing it to the wild.Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Exhibit
A salamander that's only found in a handful of lakes in Mexico. They are often kept as exotic pets. Species added in the Twilight Pack
Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A dexterous and intelligent mammal from North America, and the world's largest procyonid. They're mostly nocturnal and are infamous for rummaging through human trash for food.- Honor Among Thieves: They get cohabitation bonuses with the striped skunk, a fellow scavenger in the dark that frequently steals human garbage.
- Rascally Raccoon: Downplayed, but like any climbing animal, extra care should be placed in designing their habitats so they cannot climb out and escape.
Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Small, stout marsupials from Australia. They're adept burrowers and have the odd quality of their feces coming out in the shape of cubes.- Ridiculously Cute Critter: Their chunky bodies, small soft eyes, and mellow attitude make them the most popular animal with guests in the Twilight Pack.
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
The largest of the true foxes, they're found all throughout the northern hemisphere. They have wide vocal ranges, and are capable of producing a wide variety of sounds.- Amazing Technicolor Wildlife: They come in a wide variety of colors, from the classic orange, to silver, to piebald.
- Boring, but Practical: Compared to other canines, they aren't particularly popular, but they live in a wide variety of areas and habitats and are comfortable either alone or in a group.
- Cunning Like a Fox: Can be very prone to mischief.
- National Animal Stereotypes: They have British names as their default ones, due to their association with the sport of fox hunting, a traditional upper-class pastime.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter: As expected from the red foxes.
Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
Infamous for their scent glands, Striped Skunks are a common sight across most of North America, and some are even kept as pets.- Com Mons: A common sight throughout most of North America.
- Honor Among Thieves: They get cohabitation bonuses with the raccoon, a fellow scavenger in the dark who frequently steals human garbage.
Egyptian Fruit Bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Walkthrough Exhibit
A species of megabat found in Africa, the Middle East, and parts of the Mediterranean. It's one of the only fruit bat species that use echolocation.- Bat Out of Hell: While they're harmless to humans, this trope is referenced by the fact that they were added in the Halloween-themed Twilight pack. Its career mission is set in Transylvania, has a haunted house theme, and you're required to adopt some bats to achieve the first milestone.
Species added in the Grasslands Animal Pack
Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
The most widespread armadillo species, these little armored burrowing mammals live from southern North America to north-central South America.Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat
Unusually tall, angular canines from the open grasslands of South America. Despite the name, they are not true wolves, foxes, or closely related to any canines outside South America.- Predator-Prey Friendship: The only canine species that gets cohabitation bonuses with other animals, and with two potential prey species to boot (the Giant Anteater and the Capybara). This is presumably because their diet is naturally far more herbivorous than the game's other canines.
Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
These large, flightless ratites from across Australia are the second-tallest birds in the world.Caracal (Caracal caracal)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A medium-sized wildcat with a range stretching from Northern Africa to southwest Asia.Red-Necked Wallaby (Notamacropus rufogriseus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A medium-sized herbivorous marsupial from Eastern Australia.- Herbivores Are Friendly: Guests are able to enter their habitats without issue, a trait shared with several other Australian animals.
Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat
A tall, nocturnal hyena species with a range stretching from Northern Africa to southwest Asia.- You Don't Look Like You: Downplayed. Their design was tweaked before the pack was released due to fan reception pointing out that their faces looked slightly off compared to the real animal.
Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A large antelope from southern Africa, well-known for their migrations in gigantic numbers to follow seasonal rainfall patterns.- The Power of Friendship: It prefers living in herds, and gets cohabitation bonuses with several other grazers of the South African grasslands.
Cloudless Sulfur (Phoebis sennae)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Walkthrough Exhibit
A medium-sized butterfly with a range stretching from South America to Southern Canada.European Peacock (Aglais io)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Walkthrough Exhibit
A multicolored butterfly from temperate regions of Europe and Asia.Menelaus Blue Morpho (Morpho menelaus)
Status: Data Deficient
Interactivity: Walkthrough Exhibit
A butterfly from South and Central America with distinctive blue, iridescent wings.Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Walkthrough Exhibit
A distinctive orange butterfly originally from North America and parts of South America. They have been introduced to various islands and parts of Oceania.Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Walkthrough Exhibit
A widespread species of butterfly from across much of the northern hemisphere. Species added in the Tropical Pack
Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
A cat-like mammal native to Madagascar. It's known for being the only predator on the island that hunts lemurs.Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
Also known as the White-Handed Gibbon, these lanky primates have the largest range of all known Gibbon species.Red River Hog (Potamochoerus porcus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A small species of wild pig native to the jungles and swamps of central Africa.- Friend to All Living Things: Pretty much the African answer to the Capybara, it’s fairly small, nonaggressive, and gets cohabitation bonuses with multiple animals in Africa’s tropical biome. It’s arguably made more impressive by the fact that many of these species (in particular, Pygmy Hippos, Okapis, Bongos, and the African primates) have the Red River Hog as the only species they get cohabitation bonuses with.
Asian Water Monitor (Varanus salvator)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A large varanid lizard native to South and Southeast Asia. They're gifted swimmers.- Palette Swap: Very similar to the Nile Monitor, albeit with a few minor differences (The biggest being that the Nile Monitor can be kept in same-sex duos, while the Asian one cannot).
Brown-Throated Sloth (Bradypus variegatus)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Walkthrough Exhibit
A species of three-toed sloth found throughout both Central and South America. They spend most of their lives in trees, only descending to the ground to defecate every so often.- Irony: A three-toed sloth species is the first sloth to be added to the game, despite two-toed sloths being much more common in zoos.
- Sluggish Sloths: Easily the largest species in the relatively small walkthrough exhibits as of their release, but they’re comfortable with it because they barely move anyway.
Species added in the Arid Animal Pack
Dromedary Camel (Camelus dromedarius)
Status: Domesticated
Interactivity: Habitat
The world's tallest species of camel. It has one hump on its back, distinguishing it from its Bactrian cousin.- Spiteful Spit: They will occasionally spit on guests in-game, a mechanic introduced to all camelids upon the release of the Arid DLC. Fortunately, the guests will take it in stride.
Addax (Addax nasomaculatus)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
A rare antelope species from the Sahara Desert. It can last nearly indefinitely without drinking water, as it gets most of its necessary moisture from its food.Dama Gazelle (Nanger dama)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A once abundant antelope species that has become a national symbol in its native country of Niger thanks to its elegant appearance.- Boring, but Practical: They aren't the most crowd pleasing animals out there, but they breed pretty easily for critically endangered animals and don't take a lot of resources to make happy.
- Herbivores Are Friendly: Guests are able to enter their habitats without issue.
African Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A species of Porcupine that can be found in Southern Europe and Northern Africa. It uses the quills along its back to deter would-be attackers.- Herbivores Are Friendly: These large herbivores can have guests enter their habitats.
Sand Cat (Felis margarita)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A small species of wild cat found in Northern Africa and the Middle East. It emerges from its burrow at night to hunt rodents, birds, and even venomous snakes.Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
A species of rhinoceros from Africa. It's heavily endangered, and three of its subspecies have been declared extinct.Somali Wild Ass (Equus africanus somaliensis)
Status: Critically Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
An endangered species of donkey from Northern Africa. With less than one-thousand known wild individuals left, there's a high risk of the species becoming extinct in the wild.Desert Horned Viper (Cerastes cerastes)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Exhibit
A sidewinding viper species from Northern Africa and the Arabian peninsula. It possesses two small "horns" above its eyes. Species added in the Oceania Pack
North Island Brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A heavyset, flightless insectivorous bird with hair-like feathers. The most common of the Kiwis, they dwell exclusively on the north island of New Zealand.Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Habitat
A tough, famously noisy little predator and the largest carnivorous marsupials in the world. They are a major symbol of their home, the island of Tasmania.Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A flightless seabird from parts of Australia and New Zealand, and the smallest penguins in the world.- The Power of Friendship: As with its fellow Penguin species, they can be comfortably housed in groups of up to 500 animals.
Quokka (Setonix brachyurus)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A cat-sized herbivorous marsupial related to wallabies. They live on the southwest coast of Australia and a few nearby islands, perhaps most famously on Rottnest Island.- Herbivores Are Friendly: Guests can enter their habitats without issue, a trait shared with several other Australian animals.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter: They look like they're always smiling.
Spectacled Flying Fox (Pteropus conspicillatus)
Status: Endangered
Interactivity: Exhibit
A fruit-eating megabat from the dense rainforests of northern Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands. It is named for the distinctive pale marks around its eyes. Species added in the Eurasia Animal Pack
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A fairly large waterfowl from temperate areas of Eurasia. Named for its generally-silent nature, it’s a common, adaptable, and semiaquatic avian.- National Animal Stereotypes: They have British names as their default names, most likely due to swan association with British aristocracy and royalty.
- Swans A-Swimming: They're safe enough for guests to enter their habitats.
Saiga (Saiga tatarica)
Status: Near Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat
A cold-weather antelope species from the Eurasian steppe, known for its distinctive proboscis. They were removed from the IUCN's Endangered Species list just days before the Eurasia Animal Pack's release, leading to their inaccurate "Critically Endangered" status in-game.- National Animal Stereotypes: Similarly to Przewalski's Horse, they have Mongolian names due to living on Mongolian steppes.
Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
A particularly lanky, shaggy bear species from across the Indian subcontinent. They can be found in a wide range of habitats, from tropical rainforests to the foothills of the Himalayas. They have a particular proclivity for eating insects.- National Animal Stereotypes: Just like other Indian animals in the game, Sloth Bears have names found on Indian peninsula.
Takin (Budorcas taxicolor)
Status: Vulnerable
Interactivity: Habitat
A heavyset relative of goats and sheep from the eastern Himalayas. Surprisingly nimble, they have few predators in their remote, mountainous habitat.Wild Boar (Sus scrofa)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A tough, adaptable wild pig from across Eurasia. As the ancestor of domestic pigs, and an invasive species in Australia and the Americas, it has left quite a legacy.- Full-Boar Action: Guests can't enter their habitats for obvious reasons.
Wisent (Bos bonasus)
Status: Near-Threatened
Interactivity: Habitat
Also known as the European Bison, this big, burly bovine is Europe’s heaviest land animal. Hunted to extinction in the wild in the early 20th century, captive populations have since been re-introduced into parts of their former range, and their population is slowly recovering.- National Animal Stereotypes: They live in few Slavic countries like Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Latvia, Slovakia and Bulgaria, and so have names common in these countries as their default ones (like Stefan, Feliks, Dasha, Cheslav, Anastasia, Ludmila, Dimitry etc.).
Wolverine (Gulo gulo)
Status: Least Concern
Interactivity: Habitat
A tough, solitary mustelid from across cold and remote parts of the northern hemisphere. Intelligent and adaptable, they have been seen taking down prey several times larger than themselves.Hermann's Tortoise (Testudo hermanni)
Status: Near-Threatened
Interactivity: Exhibit
A small-to-medium-sized tortoise from southern Europe. Their populations are generally clustered in areas around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Species added in the Barnyard Animal Pack
Sussex Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)
Status: Domesticated
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A domesticated descendant of the Red Junglefowl. One of the oldest British chicken breeds, the Sussex is a popular bird bred for meat and eggs.Highland Cattle (Bos primigenius taurus)
Status: Domesticated
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A big, durable Scottish cattle breed, the Highland cattle were quite important for the Scottish economy in the 18th century. Like most modern cattle, they are a domesticated descendant of the now-extinct Aurochs. Their long hair allows them to tolerate colder climates almost on par with Arctic animals.Alpine Goat (Capra hircus)
Status: Domesticated
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A medium-large goat originally from the French Alps. Like most domestic goats, they are believed to be descended from the Bezoar Ibex. They are among the most popular goats kept for their milk.Alpaca (Lama pacos)
Status: Domesticated
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A domesticated South American camelid kept for its thick wool. A descendant of the Vicuna and a smaller relative of Llamas, the Alpaca is most commonly found in the northern parts of the Andes.American Standard Donkey (Equus africanus asinus)
Status: Domesticated
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A domesticated descendant of the African Wild Ass. While North American Donkeys are a tiny portion of the world’s donkey population today, they were among the most common work animals in farms and mines for European settlers. Standard Donkeys are considered medium-sized, as opposed to the small Miniature and large Mammoth Donkeys. A sizeable feral population of the animals, locally known as Burros, has established itself in the American west.Hill Radnor Sheep (Ovis aries)
Status: Domesticated
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A hardy breed of upland sheep from the UK. Sheep in general are believed to be domesticated descendants of the Asiatic Mouflon. Known for their thick wool coats, they are most common in Wales and western England.Tamworth Pig (Sus domesticus)
Status: Domesticated
Interactivity: Habitat (Walkabout)
A medium-sized British pig breed known for its distinctive red fur. Like most domestic pigs, they are the domesticated descendants of the Wild Boar. Their distinct appearance and relative rarity on farms has made them a priority species for preservation.