Kakapo

[Baryonix82]

I think the Kakapo would be a very good addition to Planet Zoo for the following reasons:
1) It is an animal that is in critical danger (only 148 recognized live specimens). And it's only found in New Zealand
2) It is famous for being the only flightless parrot in the world
3) Kakapos only breed every two to four years
4) Various scientists work in the Kakapo Recovery Program, to increase the number of Kakapos

 

[NZFanatic]

Kakapo are also banned from being kept in captivity outside of extraordinary circumstances (such as rescue birds). They are also not allowed to leave the country, so no zoos in the world are allowed to keep them. Their breeding programme is managed by the Department of Conservation in patrolled pest-free reserves, not zoos.

IMO it would make a poor inclusion to the game and be completely out of left field. If you want a unique New Zealand bird included, the kiwi is the way to go.

 

[ElectricMonk]

Yeah, kiwi would be better, and would be an awesome addition... Maybe in a birds / aviary pack or an island species pack one day.

 

[Indoraptor27]

No thank you. Not realistic. Having titan beetles is bad enough. If they wanted to add a flightless bird from New Zealand, the kiwi seems like a good choice. If we could get other types of parrots, I'd really enjoy that, but they'd need to figure out flying animations first.

 

[leguminous media]

I would love a Kakapo, but yeah the North Island Brown Kiwi is the more realistic flightless NZ bird to choose. Would love to see a nocturnal mechanic for them though, where you have to keep them in a nocturnal building to keep them active.
As for other parrots, we don't necessarily have to have them fly, as most macaws in zoos are kept flightless and just climb on perches, but seeing how the Koala was implemented, I don't know how to keep the birds on those perches

 

[NZFanatic]

I would love a Kakapo, but yeah the North Island Brown Kiwi is the more realistic flightless NZ bird to choose. Would love to see a nocturnal mechanic for them though, where you have to keep them in a nocturnal building to keep them active.

I had previously touted the idea that being able to turn on lights during the day time would allow us to at least fake a decent nocturnal house, but as the recent update has shown this isn't the case, as the game automatically adjusts indoor lighting to a sort of greyish haze. However, I still think a kiwi would be possible without specific nocturnal mechanics, as the pangolin and aardvark are.

Of course I would prefer to be able to build convincing nocturnal houses for these animals, but if it came down to a choice between having the kiwi and housing it realistically, I think I'd choose having it.

As for other parrots, we don't necessarily have to have them fly, as most macaws in zoos are kept flightless and just climb on perches, but seeing how the Koala was implemented, I don't know how to keep the birds on those perches

These birds usually aren't "flightless" but hand-reared and 'trained' to remain around a specific area. It's completely possible with parrots - I know a person who has a ringneck that they "let out" during the day - it only hangs around their garden and comes back indoors to its cage when it's time to. No wing-clipping necessary. It is risky, of course, so not common practice.

 

[DragonNTiger]

No thank you. Not realistic.

Uggghhhh.... can we please stop using the "not realistic enough" line? This is a fantasy zoo video game and one that does a rather terrible job representing reality... at this point it's just dumb to keep parroting such poor reasoning...

 

[NZFanatic]

Uggghhhh.... can we please stop using the "not realistic enough" line? This is a fantasy zoo video game and one that does a rather terrible job representing reality... at this point it's just dumb to keep parroting such poor reasoning...

"Not realistic" is a perfectly valid reason to not want something included.

 

[NL_Mutso]

Uggghhhh.... can we please stop using the "not realistic enough" line? This is a fantasy zoo video game and one that does a rather terrible job representing reality... at this point it's just dumb to keep parroting such poor reasoning...

Having species in PZ which can't be kept in zoos, is not something I like to see.
But tbh, the kiwi in a RL zoo outside NZ would be somewhat unrealistic as well. I think only 10-15 zoos outside NZ have them in a zoo - so actually seeing them in a zoo is an extremely rare find. (from a certain POV somewhat borders on unrealistic)

 

[marcnesiumHH]

I think only 10-15 zoos outside NZ have them in a zoo - so actually seeing them in a zoo is an extremely rare find. (from a certain POV somewhat borders on unrealistic)

I mean I have already seen Kiwis in a zoo, but never a Dingo and there's a good reason for the latter. Thus, follwing your reasoning, dingos would be unrealistic to have them in the game.

 

[NL_Mutso]

I mean I have already seen Kiwis in a zoo, but never a Dingo and there's a good reason for the latter. Thus, follwing your reasoning, dingos would be unrealistic to have them in the game.

How many zoos in the world have dingos? (i don't know because a lot of Oceanic animals are a rare find)

Not much of an argument to point out your personal experiences, not much reasoning on that one.

 

[NZFanatic]

Having species in PZ which can't be kept in zoos, is not something I like to see.
But tbh, the kiwi in a RL zoo outside NZ would be somewhat unrealistic as well. I think only 10-15 zoos outside NZ have them in a zoo - so actually seeing them in a zoo is an extremely rare find. (from a certain POV somewhat borders on unrealistic)

Ah, but the difference between the kakapo and kiwi is that despite its rarity, the kiwi is kept in zoos outside of New Zealand. The kakapo isn't even kept in zoos inside of New Zealand. In any case what's normal or rare in one place isn't normal or rare somewhere else - I often get the feeling that the game is heavily focussed on animals found in European zoos rather than looking elsewhere (well...European and San Diego). That's another reason why the lack of a Tasmanian devil really ground my gears; they might not be common in zoos in Europe, but down here in Oceania they're in a whole lot of zoos and extremely important to the captive breeding programme.

 

[NL_Mutso]

Ah, but the difference between the kakapo and kiwi is that despite its rarity, the kiwi is kept in zoos outside of New Zealand. The kakapo isn't even kept in zoos inside of New Zealand. In any case what's normal or rare in one place isn't normal or rare somewhere else - I often get the feeling that the game is heavily focussed on animals found in European zoos rather than looking elsewhere (well...European and San Diego). That's another reason why the lack of a Tasmanian devil really ground my gears; they might not be common in zoos in Europe, but down here in Oceania they're in a whole lot of zoos and extremely important to the captive breeding programme.

Oh I agree, commented multiple times about people mentioning the Emperor zoo or the pink fairy armadillo and some have been vocal about the Javan Rhino as well. Species not in zoos or only 1 country - don't think that represents the "common" zoo..
I understand that some species will get special treatment because they are iconic to a continent. So some species will always be debatable or will be added to don't leave out a region.

Going with your example of the Tasmanian Devil: only a few zoos have them in NA (saw a google result of only 7 in NA), and saw 1 result for Europe (only 6).
So let's say 10 zoos in Europe and NA have them - that's pretty rare. I think Oceania is even unique in mostly keeping their own species in their own zoos - which is understandable .

My overall impression is that African species are extremely well represented in most zoos - so that's pretty accurate with PZ. (and still "missing" some iconic and common species)
Main reason why I think 1 European pack is enough to represent Europe in PZ.

 

[leguminous media]

Kea, would work, actually the best choice for a parrot in planet zoo because they are very terrestrial. But everyone would want it to fly and have to be inclosed in an aviary, I would just say let it kind of fly and can be housed in a open top, and if realism is a thing let us build mesh tops

 

[Firestar97]

Kea, would work, actually the best choice for a parrot in planet zoo because they are very terrestrial. But everyone would want it to fly and have to be inclosed in an aviary, I would just say let it kind of fly and can be housed in a open top, and if realism is a thing let us build mesh tops

But be warned if you build a small Pool in their Enclosure. They love it to pull the Plug

 

[leguminous media]

they also like to try and fill bottles with water after they use their beaks to pierce them... I now actually really want kea, they would be so much fun, especially if we could build something resembling a walkthrough aviary, I know Cincinnati zoo puts them in the lory feeding exhibit in winter, maybe let guest interact and feed the kea, that would be the most amazing thing ever

 

[Firestar97]

they also like to try and fill bottles with water after they use their beaks to pierce them... I now actually really want kea, they would be so much fun, especially if we could build something resembling a walkthrough aviary, I know Cincinnati zoo puts them in the lory feeding exhibit in winter, maybe let guest interact and feed the kea, that would be the most amazing thing ever

Aren't they also famous for stealing Stuff and aren't they also sometimes attacking Sheep? I don't really think they would be a good Walk-through Species

 

[leguminous media]

They may not be quite best choice, but this is a game so I would rather have fun interactions with guests if we had them. They are mostly famous for breaking stuff, like chewing on cars. The sheep thing does occur, but it is probably overstated. Also watching them interact with keepers and guests who take their fingers into their own hands (that sounds odd) I don't think they are as bad as you think. I know one of the NZ zoos has them in a walkthrough, not quite sure if Cincinnati lets people in with them or you have to stay outside

 

[NZFanatic]

Aren't they also famous for stealing Stuff and aren't they also sometimes attacking Sheep? I don't really think they would be a good Walk-through Species

They may not be quite best choice, but this is a game so I would rather have fun interactions with guests if we had them. They are mostly famous for breaking stuff, like chewing on cars. The sheep thing does occur, but it is probably overstated. Also watching them interact with keepers and guests who take their fingers into their own hands (that sounds odd) I don't think they are as bad as you think. I know one of the NZ zoos has them in a walkthrough, not quite sure if Cincinnati lets people in with them or you have to stay outside

Every zoo here has them in walkthrough aviaries. They aren't dangerous at all.

That said every zoo has them in aviaries as well, because they aren't anymore terrestrial than any other parrot.

 

[markun]

"Not realistic" is a perfectly valid reason to not want something included.

I agree, especially when we have a limited selection of animals. I don’t want to see a spot wasted on animals like kakapo, Javan rhino or Ethiopian wolf which aren’t found any zoos anywhere.

But tbh, the kiwi in a RL zoo outside NZ would be somewhat unrealistic as well. I think only 10-15 zoos outside NZ have them in a zoo - so actually seeing them in a zoo is an extremely rare find. (from a certain POV somewhat borders on unrealistic)

I wouldn’t say it’s unrealistic, just less common. So if you had a major European city zoo it would be fine - Berlin and Frankfurt have them for example - or a zoo in New Zealand of course. But if it was a small zoo in the mountains of North America then yes, that would be unrealistic. But that is the case with many animals in the game. Even okapi are not something you find everywhere but it doesn’t make them unrealistic to have in the game.

I rarely use the pronghorn for example as there are none in Europe and to my knowledge the only ones outside North America are in Japan.