1. Monkeys arent well-known and popular animals in media. Reflected by wishlist.
2. Frontier is willing to put effort into 2 unique animals per pack. Every single monkey count as one. So most popular animals are usually chosen.
3. Monkeys are outcompeted by said more popular animals, mostly carnivorans and ungulates.
4. Repeat every pack.
Good points! I'm wondering though..I know it's not the most popular but if they used a Squirrel Monkey if that would be much work, since it could mostly reuse the Capuchin Monkey.
Of course, most of us would still want another primate, be it what I would judge as medium amount of work like the Baboon and Howler Monkey, or what I would think would be a good bit more work like a Spider Monkey or Tamarin.
But all around good points. The point about effort is why I keep saying we're not going to get the Tree Kangaroo and Coati in the same pack, even if it's some kind of deluxe finale type of pack. My guess is strongly that we'll get the Coati given it seems more popular than the Tree Kangaroo (if only by a little), and that the fervor for more Oceania animals has decreased a bit whereas little has been done for Latin America in the last year. Assuming we get a New World Primate, that's one animal and the Coati would be a second. Sadly why I also think my favorite oddball, the Brazilian Porcupine, is very unlikely.
Honestly the best chance we have for both a Tree Kangaroo and Coati are getting two separate packs. I could easily see that, and see them both headlining each pack.
I also feel like for monkeys its not actually that important which species it will would be, as long as it fits the niche.
Obviously people have preferences, but i feel like most would be fine with getting the gelada over the hamadryas and vice versa.
You're right, but we're in the situation we're in because of that, particularly regarding New World Primates. We never rallied around one or two specific species until last year, which means that none of the species were that high on the meta list until the 2024 meta list. Thus, they weren't as visibly wanted just based off the meta lists. Though of course, there's been huge discussion about them. A bit different with the H. Baboon, since that's seemed to have been the species most have put their support into - all the more reason its absence in the Arid pack was baffling.
Side comment, can't find the original post but...regarding Safari packs, I know some do not like this lineup and that's fine, but it's still my picks:
Secretary Bird
Hamadryas Baboon
Nile Crocodile
Masai Giraffe
Honey Badger
Serval
Black Backed/Golden Jackal
E: not sure on the exhibit animal to be honest.
You got two highly requested animals, one pretty difficult animal with the Secretary Bird and two more that would require a decent amount of effort with the Baboon and Honey Badger as well as having two clone type of animals, three if you count the Jackal. You've got a bird, a reptile, and three carnivore mammals. You've got a feline and a canine which we know Frontier loves. Seems to check all the boxes and honestly seems pretty realistic in terms of what Frontier would release.
I need my Latin American animals already!!!!!
