Gobi Bear

[Kiwolf]

ok I bring this bear up because this bear is extremely endangered. i think it would be a good animal to add to our zoo's list of animals that we currently have to work with.. Here is the reality of the plight of this specific animal. (Note: I also think this would be an animal that @frontier should be able to have little issue in replicating because it seems to closely resemble the grizzly, which we already have in the game. However, this animal needs more presence in the conservation world.) Read the following links to get more information:

Gobi Bear Project – Saving the world's rarest bear

www.gobibearproject.org

Specific species information:
Accepted scientific name: Ursus arctos gobiensis (Sokolov and Orlov, 1992)

Description: A relatively small bear with brown fur and often having lighter patches on the neck or chest. During the winter months grey patches may appear within the pelage. Length is documented as between 147 and 167 cm, weight between around 50 and 120 kg. Unusually amongst brown bears the claws are blunt.

Range: Great Gobi region of Mongolia with 82% of the range falling within the “Strictly Protected Area” of Great Gobi section A.

http://www.bearconservation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/gobi-range-2.jpg
Habitat: Mountainous desert and desert flats.

Status: Critically endangered. Listed under CITES Appendix I and protected as “Very Rare” under part 7.1 of the Mongolian Law on Fauna (2000) and in the Mongolian Red Book (1987 & 1997). Hunting of bears has been prohibited since in Mongolia. Possibly as few as 20 individuals remain, certainly no more than 40.

Life span: Probably between 20 and 25 years.

Food: Wild rhubarb rhizomes, nitrebush berries, wild onion, grasses and other green plants found in oases. Only around one percent of the diet consists of meat, mainly rodents and carrion.

Behaviour: Little information is available. Gobi bears are diurnal and, except during mating and for mothers with cubs, are solitary. They hibernate in winter dens, made in south facing mountain caves or from dried grasses, from November to February or March. Cubs are born in the winter den and remain with the mother for around two and a half years during which time she will not become pregnant again. Whilst litters of two can occur, most appear to be of a single cub..

Threats: The very low numbers (less then 40) of these bears make them vulnerable to environmental changes and disease due to inbreeding and low rates of reproduction. Drought and the continuing disappearance of water sources are an ongoing threat.

 

[deinonychus110]

No thanks, 2 brown bears are enough. There are so many other bears in the world, brown bears aren't the only bear types that exist, Andean bears, polar bears, sun bears, sloth bears...

 

[Kiwolf]

No thanks, 2 brown bears are enough. There are so many other bears in the world, brown bears aren't the only bear types that exist, Andean bears, polar bears, sun bears, sloth bears...

Two brown bears are a choice.. having more of a choice might be nice.
There is also something else you need to know about to Gobi bear.. It, like the polar bear (being the only arctic, snow dwelling bear), is the only desert dwelling bear.. it is important to protect and help this animal more then it is the brown bear.. Brown bear number are higher then gobi bears.. i think the game should allow us to have a choice.. not just have a couple of specific types of one genre.

 

[deinonychus110]

Two brown bears are a choice.. having more of a choice might be nice.
There is also something else you need to know about to Gobi bear.. It, like the polar bear (being the only arctic, snow dwelling bear), is the only desert dwelling bear.. it is important to protect and help this animal more then it is the brown bear.. Brown bear number are higher then gobi bears.. i think the game should allow us to have a choice.. not just have a couple of specific types of one genre.

Yes but still, Gobi bears aren't the most appealing animals tbh. If people had to make a choice either between a Gobi bear and let's say a North American river otter, they'll go with the otter, mainly because it's a unique animal.

 

[LN]

Yes but still, Gobi bears aren't the most appealing animals tbh. If people had to make a choice either between a Gobi bear and let's say a North American river otter, they'll go with the otter, mainly because it's a unique animal.

Any kind of Otter will do for me

Gobi bear is a good suggestion, I'd rather have polar bears though.

 

[Kiwolf]

Yes but still, Gobi bears aren't the most appealing animals tbh. If people had to make a choice either between a Gobi bear and let's say a North American river otter, they'll go with the otter, mainly because it's a unique animal.

it's not about unique.. it is based on Conservation.. it is not completely about what we want or don't want.. it's about actual animals that are in serious trouble of possibly no longer existing.. And the Gobi bear only has a population of 40.

Also, losing these animals will change the globe.. when I say this, it means that a lot of things will change.. (think of what's happening with the bee). This is also not region related.. it is global.

 

[deinonychus110]

it's not about unique.. it is based on Conservation.. it is not completely about what we want or don't want.. it's about actual animals that are in serious trouble of possibly no longer existing.. And the Gobi bear only has a population of 40.

Also, losing these animals will change the globe.. when I say this, it means that a lot of things will change.. (think of what's happening with the bee). This is also not region related.. it is global.

Fair but more people would want unique animals rather than CR one. How many wishlist posts do you see for a random critically endangered subspecies compared to something unique, like otters? Also an otter DLC will bring in way more profits and way less people screaming "RESKIN!!!" than a Gobi bear DLC. Also the conservation thing was pretty much just to market the game

 

[VetGirl330]

Since you seem to have appointed yourself to the position of educating the rest of the community about this endangered SUBspecies, you may want to check your own facts first.

it is important to protect and help this animal more then it is the brown bear

The Gobi bear (Ursus arctos gobiensis) is a brown bear. The two species already in the game, the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), arguably the most iconic brown bear subspecies, and the Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus), are subspecies of the brown bear. It is more than a coincidence that the grizzly bear and Gobi bear look alike as you pointed out.

t is based on Conservation.. it is not completely about what we want or don't want.. it's about actual animals that are in serious trouble of possibly no longer existing.. And the Gobi bear only has a population of 40.

Please do some research on critically endangered species and conservation efforts. In addition to reading about current Gobi bear conservation efforts (which focus on controlling poaching and protecting remaining animals in situ), I would recommend reading about the Javan rhinoceros and Great Indian Bustard. There are numerous articles for both species explaining why rounding up the last few members on the species on the entire planet and placing them in a zoo is a horrible idea (unless of course your goal is to condemn them to extinction faster). The sad truth is that most species classified as critically endangered are already doomed. Read about genetic bottlenecks and functional extinction (see koala bears and cheetah).

As strongly implied by its title Planet ZOO is a ZOO game. They should only include species that may reasonably be held in captivity (were not going to see Dodo birds or blue whales either). There are no Gobi bear in captivity. The Gobi bear is a completely inappropriate suggestion for inclusion in the game. It's inclusion would do nothing more than propagate the dangerous human fantasy that it's okay if we create endangered species, we can just round them up, breed them, and repopulate the wild to "fix" the problem.

 

[Aero-Bubbles]

There is no such thing as “too many bears” add ALLLLLLL The bears

 

[Kiwolf]

Since you seem to have appointed yourself to the position of educating the rest of the community about this endangered SUBspecies, you may want to check your own facts first.



The Gobi bear (Ursus arctos gobiensis) is a brown bear. The two species already in the game, the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), arguably the most iconic brown bear subspecies, and the Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus), are subspecies of the brown bear. It is more than a coincidence that the grizzly bear and Gobi bear look alike as you pointed out.



Please do some research on critically endangered species and conservation efforts. In addition to reading about current Gobi bear conservation efforts (which focus on controlling poaching and protecting remaining animals in situ), I would recommend reading about the Javan rhinoceros and Great Indian Bustard. There are numerous articles for both species explaining why rounding up the last few members on the species on the entire planet and placing them in a zoo is a horrible idea (unless of course your goal is to condemn them to extinction faster). The sad truth is that most species classified as critically endangered are already doomed. Read about genetic bottlenecks and functional extinction (see koala bears and cheetah).

As strongly implied by its title Planet ZOO is a ZOO game. They should only include species that may reasonably be held in captivity (were not going to see Dodo birds or blue whales either). There are no Gobi bear in captivity. The Gobi bear is a completely inappropriate suggestion for inclusion in the game. It's inclusion would do nothing more than propagate the dangerous human fantasy that it's okay if we create endangered species, we can just round them up, breed them, and repopulate the wild to "fix" the problem.

My point is this: the extinction of any animal, no matter what it's genre or if it is a subspecies of another dominate species, can cause problems to each environment that the animal comes from. I honestly don't care about how many subspecies there are.. My point is that something needs to be done.. And "It's inclusion would do nothing more than propagate the dangerous human fantasy that it's okay if we create endangered species, we can just round them up, breed them, and repopulate the wild to "fix" the problem." is simply not true.. Bringing this bear into the game would help with awareness.. Many people like all sorts of bears.. and yes, even though it is what you call it propaganda, it is very possible to have these bears come back from doing breeding. But it would take time.. and people on board that understand what the cost actually is... There is no such thing as to many bears.. that's like saying that there is to many animals in the world. or maybe i should bring up people..

 

[Barje]

tbh id like Gobi bear more than himalayan brown bear.But now its too late to add it.Two Brown bears are more than enough.

 

[Kiwolf]

tbh id like Gobi bear more than himalayan brown bear.But now its too late to add it.Two Brown bears are more than enough.

I don't know if it is still too late.. unless the game designer is creating limits on how many different species or subspecies it allows the game.. I think the Frontier needs to be more open about it's animal selection and allow people to have a choice.. So you may see them in an expansion.. I would like to have them because they bring the reason's why conservation is needed..

 

[deinonychus110]

I don't know if it is still too late.. unless the game designer is creating limits on how many different species or subspecies it allows the game.. I think the Frontier needs to be more open about it's animal selection and allow people to have a choice.. So you may see them in an expansion.. I would like to have them because they bring the reason's why conservation is needed..

Remember, uniqueness >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> endangeredness. It's sad but it's true. Again, do I have to use my otter vs brown bear reskin Gobi bear analogy? Which one of these would a normal player want more?

 

[LN]

Remember, uniqueness >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> endangeredness. It's sad but it's true. Again, do I have to use my otter vs brown bear reskin Gobi bear analogy? Which one of these would a normal player want more?

No need to repeat. I'd rather have a Otter than a Gobi bear too, but I wouldn't mind having a Gobi bear in the game at all.

 

[[VR] Deggial]

Remember, uniqueness >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> endangeredness. It's sad but it's true.

I have to agree - partly.
If adding an animal to the game would help even a tiny bit save it from extinction, I'd say: "By all means, go for it!"
Unfortunately, it doesn't.
I'll therefore always prefer unique new animals, even if they are not endangered at all.

On the other hand, my (personal!) opinion regarding "reskins" differs a bit:
As long as the new, "reskinned" animal varies enough in respect to its habitat (and possibly even continent), I am fine with it.

For example, I definitely don't want a smaller N-American brown bear variant. We do have the Grizzley already.
An European brown bear would be nice, though, especialy if it prefers mountainous terrain. I still want to fill my Bavarian mountain zoo with local animals.
Likewise, the Gobi Bear as a specialized desert animal provides enough unique enclousure requirements to make it worthwhile.

Not worthwhile enough, if the question would be: otters OR Gobi Bear, though.
But I somehow doubt, this would be the decision to make. "Reskins" are probably way less work intensive than completely new animals (models, animation and AI!) and are way more likely to be "thrown in the mix" as free content during an update.

Otters & Co. will be featured by a payed-for DLC. (Which is fine.)

 

[Cynogale bennettii II]

The most recent genetic research (from 2017) suggests that the Gobi bear is actually an isolated, lowland-dwelling form of the Himalayan brown bear, which is very different genetically from the brown bears of Europe and North America. So maybe it would be simpler to just make the Himalayan brown more tolerant of desert-like enclosures instead of making a completely new animal.