What is everyone's dream Neotropics Animal Pack?
I think the one everyone's kind of expecting (tamarin/squirrel monkey, spider/howler monkey, coati, mara, rhea, spoonbill/ibis, and ocelot/oddball) would be a great way to go. If we're talking about unrealistic dreams, there are well over 30 neotropical animals I'd gladly pay $1.50 or more to have in PZ.
For habitat animals, the biggest gap I see in the neotropical roster is small monkeys, especially tamarins. They have more than 2000 combined holdings on Zooteirliste, are adorable, and are great conservation species. The golden lion tamarin is my favorite zoo animal, period, but the cotton top and emperor tamarin would be great to have as well if they can manage to add a few at a time. There are even more of that family that I'd be willing to pay for or at least install mods to obtain. Howler monkeys and spider monkeys are also pretty common; the unique/scary vocalizations and especially the brachiating would also be very interesting to see in PZ. If neither is possible, a tufted capuchin would be way better than nothing. Adorable squirrel monkeys and sakis are also common in zoos, and some oddballs like uakaris and sakis would be nice to have. Many zoos near me keep South American monkeys, and I would like to see at least a few more in PZ.
South American birds are also pretty common. Macaws are a favorite candidate for inclusion, as are toucans. I've seen both fairly often. Hoatzins aren't kept in zoos, but they are my favorite flying birds. I've also seen many mixed wetlands habitats featuring South American birds, especially American flamingos, scarlet ibises, spoonbills, white faced whistling ducks, and occasionally curassows. The versitility of an ibis rig and the wide range of the duck make them my favorite options for that zoo niche. Such enclosures can also feature sloths, which we already have, as well as large turtles like the Arrau, tamarins, Amazon river giant fish, and agoutis.
I've also seen many non-primate climbers. The South American coati is the community favorite, and they are very common in zoos. They would be cute and fun to watch. I also really like margays for their giant eyes and educational value as hunters of my beloved tamarins. The ocelot is preferred and more common in zoos for that small cat clade, and I'd be about as happy with it. I personally like tamanduas at least as much as coatis, and Brazilian porcupines are pretty cute.
Non-tropical South America, especially Patagonia, also needs some love. The rhea and mara are super requested to fill that niche. Burrowing owls and Andean condors would be good if we get flying birds, and a tegu would be cool if it came as a habitat animal.
Beyond that, the pudu and lowland tapir wouldn't be too bad for ungulates, but I'm mostly watching for monkeys and birds. Bush dogs are a pretty good option for an oddball canid, and there are plenty of unpopular not-foxes, some of which I might install mods for. The Carribean and coasts have some fantastic options, including brown pelicans, sea turtles, manatees, American flamingos, and rockhopper penguins. I wish we could get them all.
