First off I just want to say thank you
@random goat for all the attention and personal time you have given to this meta-list. I’m sure it has been quite time consuming and your dedication has not gone unnoticed (also congratulations on your PhD!)
Since you have decided to keep this current version of the meta-list and allow everyone five more additions (which is understandable as I’m sure this version of the list has been quite the undertaking), I do have a few questions about some of the species currently excluded from the list. On my top 20 list, I noticed that some of my species selections were not counted towards the meta-list, though they do seem to meet the current “requirements” for it. Additionally upon reviewing others submissions and the current, not counted “exhibit and aviaries” tab you provided, there are a few other species people have been voting for that do seem to meet the rules as well.
On my list, the two species I voted for that weren’t counted were the Cownose Ray and the Giant Pacific Octopus. The Giant Octopus easily exceeds the size requirement for a species to be considered habitat-potential (with larger specimens typically reaching a radial span of over 20 feet). The species is usually kept in covered habitats though, as they are known to be exceptional escape artists, so perhaps this was your reasoning for not counting it?
For the Cownose Ray, I can’t really think of a reason as to why it wouldn’t meet the requirements. Adult Cownose Rays typically reach wingspans over 3 feet and a total length over 5 feet. Additionally, they are often kept in large, uncovered pools or tanks. They are one of the most popular ray species to keep in modern zoos and aquariums, as they can be quite tame and often enjoy human interaction (many are kept in touch pools). In regards to captive breeding, the Cownose Ray is also quite the success story, as a number of modern zoos and aquariums have records of birthings.
Other species I noticed within the “not-counted tab” that seem to fit the requirements include, the Victorian Crowned Pigeon, Tenrec, and the European Hamster. The Victorian Crowned Pigeon is the largest pigeon species in the world and is largely a terrestrial species. It would likely function in the game quite similar to the Peafowl (it does appear though that the Crowned Pigeon’s inclusion within the “not-counted tab” is a typo, as it also appears within the meta-list as well). The Tenrec appears to have been merely requested as any of the family’s various species, and with that in mind, there are a few tenrec species of comparable size to the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog, which is currently PZ’s smallest habitat species. An adult Black-Tailed Prairie Dog usually measures between 12 and 16 inches, and the Tailless Tenrec, the world’s largest tenrec species, typically measures between 10 and 16 inches. Like the Tenrec, the European Hamster is also close in size to PZ’s Prairie Dog. The European Hamster usually measures between 10 and 16 inches as well. Additionally, burrowing creatures like these also seem to be of particular interest to Frontier recently, with their addition of not only digging mechanics but also soon-to-come burrows.
I say all this not with the intention to sound nit-picky or authoritative, but to instead advocate for the inclusion of the species I mentioned. To the people who voted for them, these are some of their biggest wishes for PZ, and Frontier has shown that these animals are, functionally speaking, totally possible. I know this was a lot to read through and you are likely quite busy finishing up your PhD, so I don’t expect any sort of rushed response to this post. Hope you can find some time to enjoy the holidays in your break, thank you again for all your work!
