Someone on this site once made a thread about how they would change the lineup of animals featured in Zoo Tycoon 2 and its expansion packs. So, I was inspired by that to make a similar article about Planet Zoo, it’s spiritual successor. Although PZ’s starting animal roster of 76 animals was pretty solid, there were definitely some iconic zoo animals anticipated for the game that were left out, as well as some animals in the game that felt like unnecessary clones.
Here is exactly how I would’ve changed it:
Habitat animals
Black wildebeest- far from the worst species to have in the game, but I’d replace it with the blue wildebeest, both more recognizable and common in zoos.
Bonobo- we didn’t need both species of chimp at launch. Move this one to a future DLC pack (maybe Congo-themed?) and replace its slot of fourth ape with some type of gibbon such as a white-handed gibbon or siamang.
Chinese pangolin- it’s nice to have pangolins in the game to raise awareness of the threats these mammals face from poaching, but considering how rare it is in zoos, I’d move this to a future DLC pack and replace its slot with a giant anteater, a more typical zoo insectivore.
Formosan black bear- replace with either a non-subspecific version of the Asiatic black bear, as this subspecies has very low captive representation, or with a sloth bear, another Asian bear that’s far more numerous in US zoos.
Himalayan brown bear- remove and give this slot to the polar bear instead of saving the latter bear for the Arctic Pack, as it’s needless to say a far more popular zoo bear.
Siberian tiger- two tiger subspecies is too many when they make up 40% of the cat roster. I would save this animal for a future DLC pack and give its slot to the jaguar instead, especially considering how underrepresented Latin America is among habitat animals so far.
Take the following habitat animals (Aldabra giant tortoise, bongo, Nile monitor, nyala, sable antelope, springbok) and fill their slots with the following creatures not in the game thus far: meerkat, southern white rhinoceros, Amur leopard, red kangaroo, koala, and moose.
Exhibit animals
Common death adder- replace with a king cobra, one of the most iconic venomous snakes that was unfortunately left out of PZ’s terrarium animal roster
Giant burrowing cockroach- give slot to Madagascar hissing cockroach instead
Green iguana- feels like more of a pet animal than a zoo animal. I’d keep the lesser Antillean iguana but give this slot to some type of chameleon instead, which are thus far completely unrepresented.
Lehman’s poison frog- replace with the more iconic blue poison dart frog.
Titan beetle- replace with some type of rhinoceros beetle, perhaps the Hercules beetle.
Yellow anaconda- give anaconda slot to the more iconic green anaconda instead.
Arctic Pack
Polar bear- now that this animal has been moved to the base game, put a musk ox in its slot.
Arctic wolf- since we’ve already got a grey wolf subspecies in the base game with the timber wolf, put an Arctic fox in this slot instead.
Here is exactly how I would’ve changed it:
Habitat animals
Black wildebeest- far from the worst species to have in the game, but I’d replace it with the blue wildebeest, both more recognizable and common in zoos.
Bonobo- we didn’t need both species of chimp at launch. Move this one to a future DLC pack (maybe Congo-themed?) and replace its slot of fourth ape with some type of gibbon such as a white-handed gibbon or siamang.
Chinese pangolin- it’s nice to have pangolins in the game to raise awareness of the threats these mammals face from poaching, but considering how rare it is in zoos, I’d move this to a future DLC pack and replace its slot with a giant anteater, a more typical zoo insectivore.
Formosan black bear- replace with either a non-subspecific version of the Asiatic black bear, as this subspecies has very low captive representation, or with a sloth bear, another Asian bear that’s far more numerous in US zoos.
Himalayan brown bear- remove and give this slot to the polar bear instead of saving the latter bear for the Arctic Pack, as it’s needless to say a far more popular zoo bear.
Siberian tiger- two tiger subspecies is too many when they make up 40% of the cat roster. I would save this animal for a future DLC pack and give its slot to the jaguar instead, especially considering how underrepresented Latin America is among habitat animals so far.
Take the following habitat animals (Aldabra giant tortoise, bongo, Nile monitor, nyala, sable antelope, springbok) and fill their slots with the following creatures not in the game thus far: meerkat, southern white rhinoceros, Amur leopard, red kangaroo, koala, and moose.
Exhibit animals
Common death adder- replace with a king cobra, one of the most iconic venomous snakes that was unfortunately left out of PZ’s terrarium animal roster
Giant burrowing cockroach- give slot to Madagascar hissing cockroach instead
Green iguana- feels like more of a pet animal than a zoo animal. I’d keep the lesser Antillean iguana but give this slot to some type of chameleon instead, which are thus far completely unrepresented.
Lehman’s poison frog- replace with the more iconic blue poison dart frog.
Titan beetle- replace with some type of rhinoceros beetle, perhaps the Hercules beetle.
Yellow anaconda- give anaconda slot to the more iconic green anaconda instead.
Arctic Pack
Polar bear- now that this animal has been moved to the base game, put a musk ox in its slot.
Arctic wolf- since we’ve already got a grey wolf subspecies in the base game with the timber wolf, put an Arctic fox in this slot instead.
