Planet Zoo Planet Zoo!

It's an okay pack. Not super exciting, but getting two new birds, a new world monkey, and some good 'filler' animals is welcome.

I really would like to see a spider monkey added to this game. One of the first books I remember owning as a preschooler was about basic zoo animals, and it featured spider monkeys as the only mentioned primates. That made them sort of the default zoo monkeys in my mind, and they've always had a special status because of that. I don't have any memory of seeing them at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo as a kid, but they were highlights of my recent trips to OKC and Chattanooga.
 
Honestly... Meh.
Like, I like these animals, but... Do we really need 2 species of flamingo when we don't have ONE single pelican? And... Have they just given up on exhibit animals altogether? We didn't get any last year! I hope this builds up to a groundbreaking exhibit-heavy DLC (birds, cough cough)... Because if we have TWO years without exhibit animals I'm going to Will Smith someone!
also they seemed to have given up on walkthrough exhibit animals
 
So, the new pack has been announced - the Americas Animal Pack. The animals are the coyote, white-faced saki, American flamingo, bighorn sheep, greater rhea, bush dog and ocelot.

Planet Zoo | Americas Animal Pack | Announce


Mixed feelings - I like a lot of the included species but most of what's included was not high on my list of what I wanted to see join the game. Most of them are basically reskins, I don't expect new packs to be high effort but this one is eh. There's a large number of species that could have made the pack a bit more interesting. Apparently exhibit species are down for the count, unfortunate as that roster isn't great.
 
No Coati, no Patagonian Mara, no Musk Ox, no Walrus, 5 of 7 species are copy & paste (Ocelot looks like copy&paste from Clouded Leopard, but I am fine with Ocelot so I don't complain about it). Frontier seems no longer care about the players' demand.

Based on Ladysigner's vote about species popularity, Carnivores are the most popular order of Planet Zoo species. The Frontier has done several Feline and Canine models that can be reused many times to create new species, which can save up time and effort. In comparison, Primates have complex facial structures and animations (climbing, swinging, playing, grooming etc), especially the three most-demanded New World Primates: Geoffrey's Spider Monkey requires huge work of moving animation including the tail. Black Howler requires new howling animation, Golden Lion Tamarin requires new model. The Frontier doesn't have enough resources due to the market failure of F1 and Planet Coaster 2.
We gotta make the most of what we have, we have most of the highly requested Felines and Canines already in the game, and there are those that people want in the game.

Felines: Indian or Indochinese Leopard (If they feel like it), Margay, Jaguarundi, Black-footed Cat, Serval, Fishing Cat, Canada Lynx, Iberian Lynx, and Bobcat.

Canids: Mexican Grey Wolf, Red Wolf, Bat-eared Fox, perhaps Gray Fox, any species of Jackal, and Ethiopian Wolf.
 
My revised thoughts for the Animals in this Pack.

Coyotes: Not much of a Popular Zoo animal, but because they are adaptable, they can be placed in any biome you can think of: Desert, Forest, Wetland, Grassland, Tundra, and even Rainforest in your North America Region. The Rig Animation can give way to Jackals and perhaps the Ethiopian Wolf, which are closely related to Coyotes and Wolves and are very Endangered. (I see them in my neighborhood and hear them howl every night)

Greater Rhea: It's the Last of the Great Ratite Flightless Birds that is highly requested, which started off with the Ostrich (Base Game) Southern Cassowary (Australia Pack), Emu (Grasslands Pack), North Island Brown Kiwi (Oceania Pack), and now the Rhea completes it, the Tinamou will have it's chance and would be great addition for the South American Grasslands. (I see them at the Santa Ana Zoo)

Bighorn Sheep: It's one of the Original Zoo Tycoon Animals, and it is the Hardest to build a proper habitat for them. It's also a classic Mountain Sheep, and I think people want this instead of the Dall's Sheep when the first pack came out. (I see them at the Los Angeles Zoo where I volunteer, and they are the Mascot of the Los Angeles Rams)

American Flamingo: The American or Caribbean Flamingo has much brighter crimson pink colors than the Great Flamingo, which are more pale pink, and the news of their comeback and native status in Florida. I read somewhere about an update regarding skin variations for their animals; they have yet to add skin variations for animals like flamingos that get their color from the food they eat based on diet. Perhaps they'll add that here if I'm correct. I would like to see Lesser Flamingos added as they are a pinker pink, and they can be used in comparison to the Greater Flamingos

White-face Saki Monkey: We need another South American Monkey in the South American Rainforest to go with the Colombian White-faced Capuchin Monkey. There is a sexual dimorphism between the males and females; they mate for life, and their rigs and the Capuchins' rigs can give way to more monkeys and primates. (The Los Angeles where I volunteer has them)

Bush Dog: Another South American Canid to go with the Maned Wolf, which is closely related. These terrier-sized dogs may be small, but they are formidable in a pack and can swim. Rare in North American Zoos, but common in European zoos.

Ocelot: Most Zoos, including the Los Angeles Zoo, where I volunteer, and the Santa Ana Zoo, have this small spotted wildcat to compare with the larger Jaguar. Ocelots live in rainforests as well as scrublands, wetlands, and deserts, and they are very rare in the Southwestern USA, North America, like Texas. Hopefully, we might see more spotted wild cats like Margays.
 
also they seemed to have given up on walkthrough exhibit animals
What most players expect on walkthrough species are flying animals, especially flying birds. Otherwise, there are not many choices, a third Bat species? Bats are not widely demanded after Egyptian Fruit Bat is offered. The New World Bats, like Vampire Bats and Seba Short-tailed Bats, have different body shapes than Egyptian Fruit Bat so new model is required (unlike Spectacled Flying Fox is more like reskined Egyptian Fruit Bat). Gliding species like Sugar Glider or Red-and-white Flying Squirrel are interesting, but they require not only new models but also new animations. As what I have mentioned several times, the Frontier just doesn't have enough resources for complex work due to financial hardship and staff shortage. Same reason why many players urge for flying birds, but the Frontier still doesn't make any. The feathers require very detailed work, so making Birds costs more effort than Bats.
 
What most players expect on walkthrough species are flying animals, especially flying birds. Otherwise, there are not many choices, a third Bat species? Bats are not widely demanded after Egyptian Fruit Bat is offered. The New World Bats, like Vampire Bats and Seba Short-tailed Bats, have different body shapes than Egyptian Fruit Bat so new model is required (unlike Spectacled Flying Fox is more like reskined Egyptian Fruit Bat). Gliding species like Sugar Glider or Red-and-white Flying Squirrel are interesting, but they require not only new models but also new animations. As what I have mentioned several times, the Frontier just doesn't have enough resources for complex work due to financial hardship and staff shortage. Same reason why many players urge for flying birds, but the Frontier still doesn't make any. The feathers require very detailed work, so making Birds costs more effort than Bats.
then they need just to focus on ground birds if they can't give us flying birds.
 
then they need just to focus on ground birds if they can't give us flying birds.
Frontier: I rather copy & paste more felines, canids and bovids. Based on the Deladysigner's vote about PZ species popularity, only 2 birds are voted in top 50 most popular, the Cassowary (#48) and African Penguin (#5), looks like ground and water birds are much less popular than felines and canids.
 
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then they need just to focus on ground birds if they can't give us flying birds.

I totally agree, I would be very happy with more larger ground based birds like Storks (Black & Saddle-billed), Cranes (Grey Crowned, Sarus & Wattled), Ibis (Scarlet & Waldrapp), Spoonbills (Roseate & African), Pelicans (Pink-backed), Secretary Birds etc

Me personally, I am happy with any animal that Frontier adds to Planet Zoo, I am not one of those who thinks that I did not want this species.
 
I totally agree, I would be very happy with more larger ground based birds like Storks (Black & Saddle-billed), Cranes (Grey Crowned, Sarus & Wattled), Ibis (Scarlet & Waldrapp), Spoonbills (Roseate & African), Pelicans (Pink-backed), Secretary Birds etc

Me personally, I am happy with any animal that Frontier adds to Planet Zoo, I am not one of those who thinks that I did not want this species.
indeed
 
Frontier: I rather copy & paste more felines, canids and bovids. Based on the Deladysigner's vote about PZ species popularity, only 2 birds are voted in top 50 most popular, the Cassowary (#48) and African Penguin (#5), looks like ground and water birds are much less popular than felines and canids.
based, lol
 
Frontier: I rather copy & paste more felines, canids and bovids. Based on the Deladysigner's vote about PZ species popularity, only 2 birds are voted in top 50 most popular, the Cassowary (#48) and African Penguin (#5), looks like ground and water birds are much less popular than felines and canids.
Honestly, when it comes to Planet Zoo, I don't know why you feel the need to be such a jerk about people saying what they want. I get the need to manage expectations but at leat you could sound less rude about it.
 
If there was to be one more DLC pack in the future regarding a final set of South American species, then this is what I would have to complete it in my opinion.

- Black Howler
- Southern Pudu
- South American Coati
- Patagonian Mara
- Azara's Agouti
- Southern Tamandua
- Scarlet Ibis

Other possible packs could include "Islands, African Safari, Arboreal, Central Asia (as I want my Blackbuck and Lion-tailed Macaque)". Fingers crossed that we still will get a few more packs.
 
Here's my Wishlist, you can add your comments for me to update it.

Safari or Savannah Pack:
-Olive Baboon
-Masai Giraffe
-Gerenuk
-Secretarybird
-Bat-eared Fox
-Serval
-Honey Badger
-Impala
-Grey-crowned Crane
-Black-backed Jackal
-Greater Kudu

India Pack:
-Blackbuck
-Lion-tailed Macaque
-Mugger Crocodile
-Chital Deer
-Sarus Crane
-Gaur
-Golden Jackal
-Red Junglefowl
-Indian Wolf
-Indian Leopard
-Onager

Forest Pack:
-American Black Bear
-Japanese Serow
-Barbary Macaque
-White-tailed Deer
-Bobcat
-Wild Turkey
-Red Wolf
-Copperhead


Indonesia Pack:
-Indochinese Leopard
-Javan Rhinoceros
-Sumatran Orangutan
-Banteng
-False Gharial
-Visayan Warty Pig
-Green Peafowl
-Crested Gibbon

Tundra Pack:
-Emperor Penguin
-Leopard Seal
-Muskox
-Walrus
-Adélie Penguin

Coastal Pack:
-Elephant Seal
-Sea Otter
-Harbor Seal
-Rockhopper Penguin
-Brown Pelican

Congo Pack:
-Mountain Gorilla
-African Forest Elephant
-Duiker
-Congo Peafowl
-Colobus Monkey

Mountain Pack:
-Ethiopian Wolf
-Gelada Monkey
-Guanaco
-Mountain Goat
-Bharal
-Yak

New Guinea Pack:
-Tree Kangaroo
-Northern Cassowary

Shrubland Pack:
-Iberian Lynx
 
With Bighorn Sheep off my list, that leaves 25 Species of Animals of the Original Zoo Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon 2 Video Games left to add for Planet Zoo: Masai Giraffe, Secretary Bird, Honey Badger, Gerenuk, Olive Baboon, Blackbuck, Nile Crocodile, Onager, Gelada, Ethiopian Wolf, American Black Bear, Mexican Grey Wolf, Japanese Serow, Barbary Macaque, Iberian Lynx, Indian or Indochinese Leopard, Javan Rhinoceros, Crested Gibbon, Mountain Gorilla, Sea Otter, Walrus, Southern Rockhopper Penguin, Emperor Penguin, Muskox, and Northern Elephant Seal.
 
As well as my South American pack I just posted, here are a few other packs with species I would love to have.

(Islands)
- Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo
- Sulawesi Crested Macaque
- Aye-Aye
- Lowland Anoa
- Philippines Spotted Deer
- Visayan Warty Pig

(Africa Safari)
- Common Eland
- Greater Kudu
- Serval
- Bat-eared Fox
- Yellow Mongoose
- Secretary Bird
- Eastern Grey Crowned Crane
- Black Stork

(Congo)
- Congo Buffalo
- Red Forest Duiker
- Black & White Colobus
- Congo Peafowl

(India/China)
- Blackbuck
- Nilgai
- Pere David's Deer
- Reeves Muntjac
- Lion-tailed Macaque
- Sarus Crane
- Himalayan Monal

(Madagascar)
- Greater Bamboo Lemur
- Red-bellied Lemur
- Madagascar Giant Rat
- Radiated Tortoise
- Panther Chameleon
- Madagascar Giant Day Gecko
 
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