Analyzing required animals by Taxonomical group

[DarthQuell]

Marsupials, eh? Wonderful, because I just spent the last week reading about different marsupials for a little 1-minute miniseries I'm making for some friends of mine.

MARSUPIALS

Ok, I wouldn't say any marsupials are needed, but I do have my wants. Really, I want just the Tasmanian devil and the tree kangaroo (any species). Those are the 2 I want, and afterwards I'd be satisfied.
But, honorable mentions are:

• Sugar gliders - not sure how they'd work. I feel like they'd be a WE, don't ask me why
• Possum (any species) - I'd be happy with any of them
• Cuscus - I believe these are related to possums. My favorite is the spotted cuscus
• Opossum - I'm debating. I've never seen them in a zoo, but why wouldn't they be? They'd be like raccoons here for us, but there's no reason why not. Any species will do, especially if it's a SA species
• Numbat - a squirrel with a pouch that lives the life of an anteater. That's how I'd describe it
• Quoll - not much to say, other than I'd name one Quell the Quoll

MONOTREMES

I don't know much about monotremes. I know that we're 1/3 complete, because there are 2 echidna species, but I don't know how common they are in zoos, if they are in any. I'm personally happy as it is, but an echidna wouldn't hurt. Since everybody is saying the short-beaked echidna, I guess I'd go with that

 

[yoav_r]

MONOTREMES

I don't know much about monotremes. I know that we're 1/3 complete, because there are 2 echidna species, but I don't know how common they are in zoos, if they are in any. I'm personally happy as it is, but an echidna wouldn't hurt. Since everybody is saying the short-beaked echidna, I guess I'd go with that

Actually there are 4 echidna species, but the most common in zoos is the short-beaked echidna.

 

[DarthQuell]

Actually there are 4 echidna species, but the most common in zoos is the short-beaked echidna.

Wow, you learn something new every day. Well, just the same, I'm ok without an echidna, but if we were to get one, then the short-beaked

 

[KellyL]

Just the Tassie for me. Echidna is fine, as I like nearly all small species, but I'd also be ok without it.

 

[Antimony96]

Discussion #1: Marsupials, Monotremes

What we have:

Marsupials

• Red Kangaroo
• Red-necked Wallaby
• Common Wombat
• Koala

Monotremes

• Platypus

Explain what you think is still needed from the aforementioned groups, and give your reasoning as to why. Take into account that slots in the roster are not unlimited, so try to keep the discussion realistic.

I think the bases are pretty much covered, other than the Tasmanian devil which is extremely popular on the metawishlist and is definitely the most recognizable marsupial not already in the game, and either the Matschie's or Goodfellow's tree kangaroo (only major distinction is that the former is more common in AZA and the latter in EAZA; the latter might win out for being cuter). For monotremes there isn't really much choice, and I'd have to go with the more recognizable and much more common in captivity short-beaked echidna.

 

[TheHippoGirl]

Still needed marsupials are the Tasmanian Devil and a tree kangaroo (preferably Goodfellow but that's a personal preference because it's the one we usually see in European zoos and I like to build realistic European zoos).

More monotremes not really needed imo but would not be mad if we got an echidna.

 

[NachoB]

Hot take, but i don't think a tree kangaroo is essential and it is an animal that i can see Frontier skiping entirerly. And i can live with that. Although it would be cool to have since their rig and animations would be unique.

The tassie is a must have at this point.

I would love a yellow footed rock wallaby, the quokka and the numbat. And sugar gliders. And after getting the devil i'll be happy with quolls but not as an alternative for it.

The short beaked echidna is the only other monotreme with a slight chance to make it into the game but i also don't consider it essential.

 

[nutrit]

I really hope that all regions would be fully explored before the end of support. For Australia is actually quite simple and of course I could name at least 20 species from the region that would enchance the game but my essentials are:
1. Tassie
2. Echidna
3. Tree kangaroo
4. Yellow footed rock wallaby
5. Brushtail possum
6. Kiwi
7. Tiger quoll

 

[YesIndeed]

It’s needed to complete the American “Roadside Tragedies” set, but otherwise, its a big “meh” for me

Their talking about possums not opossums. There's a big difference besides the fact their both marsupials

 

[YesIndeed]

unreasonable to expect... unless they want to show they're just that committed to the North American roadkill squad and gives us the Virginia opossum.

There's enough American roadkill as is. I think the brushtail Possum would be great for that Australian roadkill representation. I know we already got the wallaby but 1 more would be nice.

 

[biggest_dreamer]

There's enough American roadkill as is. I think the brushtail Possum would be great for that Australian roadkill representation. I know we already got the wallaby but 1 more would be nice.

I'm not disagreeing, and I think the armadillo and maybe even skunk were already even more than we needed. But the fact that they've just kept coming lately has me hesitant to assume they're going to stop.

 

[Fallax]

This is a great idea for a thread!

So, onto what I think. I probably don't need to repeat what people have said about the Tasmanian devil, Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo, and short-beaked echidna. I agree that all these three would be excellent additions to the game as the most famous marsupial carnivore, a unique and popular climber from New Guinea, and the all-terrain egg laying spiny anteater!

However, I'd like to bring up three more marsupials I think are worth considering for the focus of this thread:

1. Another kangaroo (specifically eastern grey kangaroo)

Kangaroos are really quite common zoo animals and are 100% a necessity for any Australian area! Now we did get a second macropod with the red-necked wallaby I think all of us can agree it fills quite a different niche than the red kangaroo... Many people would call this a clone but I think that having a second kangaroo species would really help diversify our zoos and add a bit more realism. The reason I choose the eastern grey kangaroo is because this is easily the most common kangaroo species kept in captivity and also unlike the red kangaroo it lives in more temperate grassland environments compared to the semi-arid outback! Considering kangaroos are the archetypal Australian animal I don't think there is any harm in having a second species.

2. Another small macropod (specifically dusky pademelon)

This might seem odd, two kangaroos.. ok... but two small macropods? Really? Yes, really. The red-necked wallaby is one of the most common zoo animals and wallabies in general are really common... I think we could also get a second one but this time with a bit of a twist. Originally I thought of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby since it lives in more rocky areas in the Australian interior but I decided against it because of the dusky pademelon. These guys are for one, really adorable, and also unlike the other macropods are actually native to New Guinea instead of Australia! Since New Guinea is currently very underrepresented, giving one of our terrestrial macropods over to the island would really benefit it and also would allow more variation with a tropical species! Also, if we ever get the Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo they could have an interspecies bonus! My local zoo, Chester, has these two species together in a mixed exhibit.

3. Sugar glider (wildcard)

Sugar gliders are very common, especially in small zoos! Having this species in the game would give us a possum, something we are currently lacking, as well as a great choice for nocturnal exhibits. The reason I call this one a wildcard, however, is because I'm not sure how it would be implemented in-game. Sugar gliders are very small and they would probably have to be an exhibit species but either way I think they deserve a spot here.

Would be curious to see feedback and if people agree or disagree that these choices would really benefit Planet Zoo!

 

[TheHippoGirl]

I don't think we need another kangaroo. The dusky pademelon and the sugar glider are not really needed either but I would still like to get them. They have pademelons at Antwerp Zoo so I see them often and, honestly, I prefer them to kangaroos and wallabies.

 

[KönigDerKaffeebohnen]

This is a great idea for a thread!

So, onto what I think. I probably don't need to repeat what people have said about the Tasmanian devil, Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo, and short-beaked echidna. I agree that all these three would be excellent additions to the game as the most famous marsupial carnivore, a unique and popular climber from New Guinea, and the all-terrain egg laying spiny anteater!

However, I'd like to bring up three more marsupials I think are worth considering for the focus of this thread:

1. Another kangaroo (specifically eastern grey kangaroo)

Kangaroos are really quite common zoo animals and are 100% a necessity for any Australian area! Now we did get a second macropod with the red-necked wallaby I think all of us can agree it fills quite a different niche than the red kangaroo... Many people would call this a clone but I think that having a second kangaroo species would really help diversify our zoos and add a bit more realism. The reason I choose the eastern grey kangaroo is because this is easily the most common kangaroo species kept in captivity and also unlike the red kangaroo it lives in more temperate grassland environments compared to the semi-arid outback! Considering kangaroos are the archetypal Australian animal I don't think there is any harm in having a second species.

View attachment 343743

2. Another small macropod (specifically dusky pademelon)

This might seem odd, two kangaroos.. ok... but two small macropods? Really? Yes, really. The red-necked wallaby is one of the most common zoo animals and wallabies in general are really common... I think we could also get a second one but this time with a bit of a twist. Originally I thought of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby since it lives in more rocky areas in the Australian interior but I decided against it because of the dusky pademelon. These guys are for one, really adorable, and also unlike the other macropods are actually native to New Guinea instead of Australia! Since New Guinea is currently very underrepresented, giving one of our terrestrial macropods over to the island would really benefit it and also would allow more variation with a tropical species! Also, if we ever get the Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo they could have an interspecies bonus! My local zoo, Chester, has these two species together in a mixed exhibit.

View attachment 343745

3. Sugar glider (wildcard)

Sugar gliders are very common, especially in small zoos! Having this species in the game would give us a possum, something we are currently lacking, as well as a great choice for nocturnal exhibits. The reason I call this one a wildcard, however, is because I'm not sure how it would be implemented in-game. Sugar gliders are very small and they would probably have to be an exhibit species but either way I think they deserve a spot here.

View attachment 343747

Would be curious to see feedback and if people agree or disagree that these choices would really benefit Planet Zoo!

While i agree with your arguments for a second kangaroo, where did you get the source that the eastern grey kangaroo is the most common in captivity?
Id be interested in any numbers, as the only ones i know are for the EAZA with 37 holdings which are okay, but not anywhere close to most common as the red has 83 and the parmas wallaby even more if we talk about terrestrial macropod in general, not to mention the red necked wallaby.

 

[Captain Callum]

While i agree with your arguments for a second kangaroo, where did you get the source that the eastern grey kangaroo is the most common in captivity?
Id be interested in any numbers, as the only ones i know are for the EAZA with 37 holdings which are okay, but not anywhere close to most common as the red has 83 and the parmas wallaby even more if we talk about terrestrial macropod in general, not to mention the red necked wallaby.

A brief look on zoochat comes with the numbers for the aza aswell (2016 numbers but a good enough idea) . 55 for the eastern grey kangaroo and 500+ for red kangaroo. There must be a confusion between captive animals and wild ones , red kangaroo is obviously the more popular animal in zoos while the eastern grey is noted as more common in the wild

 

[biggest_dreamer]

A grey kangaroo is really a "two more years of support" kind of animal imo instead of the one more year I anticipate. If we somehow did get another non-arboreal macropod I'd hope for the more visually striking yellow-footed rock wallaby, but if we do extend into 2024 all bets are off.

 

[Fallax]

While i agree with your arguments for a second kangaroo, where did you get the source that the eastern grey kangaroo is the most common in captivity?
Id be interested in any numbers, as the only ones i know are for the EAZA with 37 holdings which are okay, but not anywhere close to most common as the red has 83 and the parmas wallaby even more if we talk about terrestrial macropod in general, not to mention the red necked wallaby.

I got them mixed up, whoops! You are right that the red is more common!

 

[YesIndeed]

This is a great idea for a thread!

So, onto what I think. I probably don't need to repeat what people have said about the Tasmanian devil, Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo, and short-beaked echidna. I agree that all these three would be excellent additions to the game as the most famous marsupial carnivore, a unique and popular climber from New Guinea, and the all-terrain egg laying spiny anteater!

However, I'd like to bring up three more marsupials I think are worth considering for the focus of this thread:

1. Another kangaroo (specifically eastern grey kangaroo)

Kangaroos are really quite common zoo animals and are 100% a necessity for any Australian area! Now we did get a second macropod with the red-necked wallaby I think all of us can agree it fills quite a different niche than the red kangaroo... Many people would call this a clone but I think that having a second kangaroo species would really help diversify our zoos and add a bit more realism. The reason I choose the eastern grey kangaroo is because this is easily the most common kangaroo species kept in captivity and also unlike the red kangaroo it lives in more temperate grassland environments compared to the semi-arid outback! Considering kangaroos are the archetypal Australian animal I don't think there is any harm in having a second species.

View attachment 343743

2. Another small macropod (specifically dusky pademelon)

This might seem odd, two kangaroos.. ok... but two small macropods? Really? Yes, really. The red-necked wallaby is one of the most common zoo animals and wallabies in general are really common... I think we could also get a second one but this time with a bit of a twist. Originally I thought of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby since it lives in more rocky areas in the Australian interior but I decided against it because of the dusky pademelon. These guys are for one, really adorable, and also unlike the other macropods are actually native to New Guinea instead of Australia! Since New Guinea is currently very underrepresented, giving one of our terrestrial macropods over to the island would really benefit it and also would allow more variation with a tropical species! Also, if we ever get the Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo they could have an interspecies bonus! My local zoo, Chester, has these two species together in a mixed exhibit.

View attachment 343745

3. Sugar glider (wildcard)

Sugar gliders are very common, especially in small zoos! Having this species in the game would give us a possum, something we are currently lacking, as well as a great choice for nocturnal exhibits. The reason I call this one a wildcard, however, is because I'm not sure how it would be implemented in-game. Sugar gliders are very small and they would probably have to be an exhibit species but either way I think they deserve a spot here.

View attachment 343747

Would be curious to see feedback and if people agree or disagree that these choices would really benefit Planet Zoo!

A think another wallaby or a Quokka would be much more distinct then a second kangaroo species

 

[PnGLINNyo]

Change of topic (taxon), we still wish some more primates, right? Spider monkeys, anyone?

 

[yoav_r]

Change of topic (taxon), we still wish some more primates, right? Spider monkeys, anyone?

Wait with the change of taxon. I made a list and primates are a bit down the line. I'm gonna give until tomorrow morning for marsupials and then switch to the next groups.