Conservation Advocacy/Sponsorship

[tigris115]

Often, zoos in real life will collaborate with conservation groups based on what species are held there. The Bronx Zoo is one of the best examples of this with exhibits like Congo Gorilla Forest and Tiger Mountain.

Thus, I'd like PZ to do something similar.

Based on what animals you have, you can be approached by different organizations focused on different habitats/regions, taxonomic groups (like cats), and for specific species.

You can then have a steady flow of Conservation Credits and more frequent animals gifts from other zoos (often themed around the group)

This will really only be a mechanic for endangered species as they're the ones who need help.

Example: I have Indian elephants and a group called "Assamese Wildlife Trust" approached me. They help protect elephants and other animals that live in Assam like Indian rhinos, Bengal tigers, wild water buffalo, etc.

This develops my reputation and I may get one of those animals as a gift.

 

[NZFanatic]

We should have to lobby our politicians to get cozy with the Chinese government before we can adopt pandas!

 

[tigris115]

We should have to lobby our politicians to get cozy with the Chinese government before we can adopt pandas!

I'd rather die

 

[tigris115]

Ok let me flesh this idea out a bit.

As you adopt, breed, and transfer out more species of a specific group, you can draw the attention of these groups to get higher rated animals as my idea for Franchise Mode is to have animal ratings like in Zoo Tycoon 2. So you get low ranking animals like peafowl and follow deer to start and you work your way up to pandas as you develop your reputation

This means there's something worth getting invested in

 

[FlameWizard492]

We should have to lobby our politicians to get cozy with the Chinese government before we can adopt pandas!

I'd rather die

I actually had to do a presentation on pandas and their impact on culture for my East Asian History class. I covered the zoological aspect for my team. Apparently, in the 1970s, the zoological community deemed it inappropriate to purchase animals with money because that might result in a sort of over-commodification of live animals. They must be traded instead. Pandas are a sort of exception. Zoos and/or city governments must first negotiate with and get approved by the Chinese government in order to house pandas. A breeding pair costs a million dollars per year to house, and a baby costs $600,000 per year. If an acquired panda dies under a non-Chinese zoo's care, they get fined $500,000. Also, the WWF holds a large say in panda conservation, almost a monopoly. In 1998, they filed a lawsuit against China to ensure that over half the funds that zoos pay for pandas actually go towards helping the pandas. I have no idea how that's going right now. No matter how hard we try, Xi Jinping will never play by western rules.

 

[Firestar97]

If an acquired panda dies under a non-Chinese zoo's care, they get fined $500,000

If that's also the Case if they die of old Age it's pretty unfair though. If we would get all those Costs in the Game it would be way more challenging/exciting though. If they could also change the Giant Pandas in the Game so they can only get pregnant for a few Days during the Year it would be perfect. Can't really stand a Species that is hard to breed to replicate like Rabbits in the Game

 

[Captain Callum]

The idea of this could be another game mode which could be fun.

• Start off with generic low appeal animals
• Visits by inspectors can gain entrance into conservation agencies
• Through the agencies you can acquire better animals and work your way to the top
• Any protestors or low welfare will automatically send an inspector to the zoo and possible be fined and downgraded conservation levels

 

[Firestar97]

Ideas for Conservation Groups:

-Chinese Government (Species you can get through them: Giant Panda and maybe the Chinese Pangolin)
-Group for the Conservation of rare Breeds (If we ever get a Petting Zoo Pack. Breeds you might get from them: Ayam Cemani, Mangalica, Chamois Coloured Goat, four horned Goat.......)
-Indonesian Orangutan Foundation (Species you can get through them: Bornean Orangutan, sometimes also Siamang or Proboscis Monkey. Proboscis Monkey only in South East Asia)
-Primatology international (Species you can get through them: every Primate Species in the Game. Proboscis Monkey might be a Exception)
-Worldwide Group of Herpetology (Species you can get through them: all Reptiles and Amphibians)
-Avian Protection Group (Species you can get through them: rare and exotic Birds)
-Farmers Club (Species you can get through them: Indian Peafowl, Llama and domesticated Breeds that aren't rare)
-Big Cat Society (all Cat Species. Mainly Big Cats)
-European Rewilding Project (Species you can get through them: all european Animals)
-Animal Protection Group (give smuggled and mistreated Animals a new Home)

You should need to donate a specific Amount of Money to those Organizations each Year if your Zoo has a Membership. The Chinese Government would probably be the most expensive one but Giant Pandas and Chinese Pangolins might be changed so you can only get them if you're a Member. Trading of these Species should still be allowed between Players but they can only be purchased if you have the Membership

 

[FlameWizard492]

If that's also the Case if they die of old Age it's pretty unfair though

It's the Chinese government. They hate the west.

 

[Firestar97]

It's the Chinese government. They hate the west.

That's a good Argument. A Shame. They had such a cool Culture in the Past. At least they even let our Zoos have those Animals. Could be worse

 

[NZFanatic]

I have no idea how that's going right now.

I'm going to immediately preface this by saying it's not a defence of the CCP but pandas came off the endangered species list recently and I believe it was under Xi's government. I think if nothing else the Chinese government realises how valuable pandas are to their international image so it's the one animal they actively try and protect (though, I believe they have similar levels of fervour reserved for the snub-nosed monkeys and Amur leopard; not so with tigers or pangolins, though).

 

[NZFanatic]

They had such a cool Culture in the Past.

China still has a really interesting culture - they aren't all bad. Chinese New Year is an amazing thing to see for example - the whole country shuts down for like six weeks. They just have a really villainous government.

 

[Firestar97]

China still has a really interesting culture - they aren't all bad. Chinese New Year is an amazing thing to see for example - the whole country shuts down for like six weeks. They just have a really villainous government.

That's what I meant. The Culture is cool but the Government is bad

 

[tigris115]

Ok so here's what I'm thinking.

Ideas for Conservation Groups:

-Chinese Government (Species you can get through them: Giant Panda and maybe the Chinese Pangolin)
-Group for the Conservation of rare Breeds (If we ever get a Petting Zoo Pack. Breeds you might get from them: Ayam Cemani, Mangalica, Chamois Coloured Goat, four horned Goat.......)
-Indonesian Orangutan Foundation (Species you can get through them: Bornean Orangutan, sometimes also Siamang or Proboscis Monkey. Proboscis Monkey only in South East Asia)
-Primatology international (Species you can get through them: every Primate Species in the Game. Proboscis Monkey might be a Exception)
-Worldwide Group of Herpetology (Species you can get through them: all Reptiles and Amphibians)
-Avian Protection Group (Species you can get through them: rare and exotic Birds)
-Farmers Club (Species you can get through them: Indian Peafowl, Llama and domesticated Breeds that aren't rare)
-Big Cat Society (all Cat Species. Mainly Big Cats)
-European Rewilding Project (Species you can get through them: all european Animals)
-Animal Protection Group (give smuggled and mistreated Animals a new Home)

You should need to donate a specific Amount of Money to those Organizations each Year if your Zoo has a Membership. The Chinese Government would probably be the most expensive one but Giant Pandas and Chinese Pangolins might be changed so you can only get them if you're a Member. Trading of these Species should still be allowed between Players but they can only be purchased if you have the Membership

I think this can work really well. Each group of animals can have their own group that supplies them for you. I'd also like them to be based on where you set up your zoo. So for zoos in Asia, you automatically have cheaper access to Asian wildlife, albeit not immediately getting the 5 star species.

 

[Firestar97]

Ok so here's what I'm thinking.

I think this can work really well. Each group of animals can have their own group that supplies them for you. I'd also like them to be based on where you set up your zoo. So for zoos in Asia, you automatically have cheaper access to Asian wildlife, albeit not immediately getting the 5 star species.

Of course I've meant though that you don't need those as a Requirement for the mentioned Animals (except Chinese Government). Would be stupid afterall if you would need to be a Member of the Farmers Club to get Peafowl and Llamas but they can make it easier to get those Animals and maybe we could get small Quests from the Organizations like in the Challenge Mode of Zoo Tycoon 2

 

[tigris115]

Of course I've meant though that you don't need those as a Requirement for the mentioned Animals (except Chinese Government). Would be stupid afterall if you would need to be a Member of the Farmers Club to get Peafowl and Llamas but they can make it easier to get those Animals and maybe we could get small Quests from the Organizations like in the Challenge Mode of Zoo Tycoon 2

Well ofc there are base animals depending on your rating and where you are. For example, pretty much any zoo can acquire a peafowl, llama, fallow deer, etc. But as you improve, you can get the attention of institutions that'll give you ones with better genes.

 

[Firestar97]

Well ofc there are base animals depending on your rating and where you are. For example, pretty much any zoo can acquire a peafowl, llama, fallow deer, etc. But as you improve, you can get the attention of institutions that'll give you ones with better genes.

Maybe even some kind of special Reward for your Zoo if you do enough for the Organization. Stuff like Statues or in Case of one of the two Farm Organizations or the one for smuggled and abused Animals maybe the Opportunity to rarely adopt Zonkeys from them (unless Frontier completely says no to Hybrids no Matter how you aquire them)

 

[iloveyourzoos]

To be honest, I feel like this is how the franchise market was originally supposed to work. As I understood the original goals of the system, the idea was that you could buy a lower stats animal from frontier zoo, but that animals with better stats would only come online from other players who had bred them up, and who would charge cc points that matched their effort and the rarity of the animal, all the way up to 10,000 cc for the best, rarest, and most endangered

Unfortunately, there seem to be a lot of players who enjoy devaluing the rest of the market by placing high stats animals up for sale for very cheap, at which point the whole incentive structure falls apart.

But ideally, the franchise market is already set up for this all to happen. It just requires us players collectively to place higher prices when we sell endangered, rare, or high stats animals than what a lot of us are doing.

 

[Firestar97]

Unfortunately, there seem to be a lot of players who enjoy devaluing the rest of the market by placing high stats animals up for sale for very cheap, at which point the whole incentive structure falls apart.

I think the Main Reason for this Problem is that it's too easy to breed. They should let it fit their Real World Counterparts. Especially for the Giant Panda

 

[SallinDaemon]

-Farmers Club (Species you can get through them: Indian Peafowl, Llama and domesticated Breeds that aren't rare)

I would argue that it would include especially breeds that are considered rare/endangered, if we ever go down that route in PZ! The livestock community at large has so many people dedicated to conserving rare breeds, and even most commercial farmers in my experience will keep at least a small stock of something more unique that they have a personal interest in. Given that zoo management is generally focused on good conservation management, zoo collections can also host a fair number of rare breeds and have a much greater reach in regard to educating people about them.

Most zoos I've been to seem to have some sort of rare breed pig. I don't know why it's usually pigs, but it's something I've noticed enough to take note of. Interestingly a keeper I knew once mentioned to me that whenever they asked guests what their favourite animals at their zoo had been, the pigs they had consistently rated in the top 5.