Manatees

[AJdinoFan]

Hopefully, this thread doesn't cause too much drama. But, we do need to remember that all species of Manatees (Also known as the sea cow) are near threatened and at one point endangered because of loss of seagrass, collisions with boats, entrapment in flood gates, entanglement in fishing gear, loss of warm water habitat, toxins associated with red tides, cold stress, and disturbance by swimmers and divers. Because it is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, they are designated as depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. When you think about it, this could be a somewhat great addition to the game.

 

[Orkan]

I do agree it would be cool to have fully aquatic animals, but how would they do it? With the current habitat system, there needs to be at least some land for the caretakers and keepers to fill up food, tend to enrichments, and put the animals in. At the moment it is next to impossible to do this.

 

[AJdinoFan]

Maybe if this does happen, we could get diver keepers. That could also be cool but might be very complex. I do also agree that it can be a bit tricky to make.

 

[avietar]

I'd love love love manatees. Frontier will find a way if they want them in game.

 

[jcp011c]

I do agree it would be cool to have fully aquatic animals, but how would they do it? With the current habitat system, there needs to be at least some land for the caretakers and keepers to fill up food, tend to enrichments, and put the animals in. At the moment it is next to impossible to do this.

Very much so. I love manatees I think they're beautiful creatures and I'd love to have them if there were ever fully marine mechanics. But there's not, so logically, there is not a way for them to function in the game right now. They would be flopping around on land upon entering the habitat. There that could be countered with "oh but there could be a new kind of gate that lets keepers release animals directly into the water". Yes, but right now, we don't have that, therefore right now, fully marine animals would not be possible in the game as it stands.

 

[AlexSea]

If I could add one fully aquatic animal to the game, it would be the West Indian Manatee. However, I strongly doubt that we'll get any fully aquatic animals at this point unfortunately.

 

[NZFanatic]

If I could add one fully aquatic animal to the game, it would be the West Indian Manatee. However, I strongly doubt that we'll get any fully aquatic animals at this point unfortunately.

Yeah at this point wanting the animal is kind of a moot point. Manatees are really the only fully-aquatic species I'm interested in for a zoo setting but it's extremely doubtful that A) they'd add a whole new system for a single species and B) they would add a whole new system at all this late in the game's lifespan.

 

[Spiderhawk]

I’m not in favor of aquatic only animals making their way into PZ. Manatees or another sirenian however are an exception, would be a bit odd for the keepers to put them in a habitat with just a little bit of land unless they throw them directly in the water. Plus how annoying it is to make under water viewing with land covering the top parts of the tank to make viewing bearable unless you change the water color.
I have never seen one. Can anyone tell me about zoos or aquariums that have manatees? I wonder if there are any that are in landlocked states.

 

[Orkan]

I’m not in favor of aquatic only animals making their way into PZ. Manatees or another sirenian however are an exception, would be a bit odd for the keepers to put them in a habitat with just a little bit of land unless they throw them directly in the water. Plus how annoying it is to make under water viewing with land covering the top parts of the tank to make viewing bearable unless you change the water color.
I have never seen one. Can anyone tell me about zoos or aquariums that have manatees? I wonder if there are any that are in landlocked states.

Colombus Zoo and Cincinnati Zoo have them, they’re in Ohio and (if you don’t count the Great Lakes) they are landlocked.

 

[AlexSea]

I’m not in favor of aquatic only animals making their way into PZ. Manatees or another sirenian however are an exception, would be a bit odd for the keepers to put them in a habitat with just a little bit of land unless they throw them directly in the water. Plus how annoying it is to make under water viewing with land covering the top parts of the tank to make viewing bearable unless you change the water color.
I have never seen one. Can anyone tell me about zoos or aquariums that have manatees? I wonder if there are any that are in landlocked states.

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has them too, though I don't know of any zoos in landlocked states that have them.

 

[zoomaster1994]

I would love Manatees. Give me the Amazonian and the West Indian manatee. However, currently it's not possible to have fully aquatic animals. Would love it, but at this point I don't see it happening.
It's probably coming in something like a planet zoo 2 or something

 

[leehonglocal]

I like West India manatee to be in the zoo game. Also dugong.

 

[Fallax]

I’m not in favor of aquatic only animals making their way into PZ. Manatees or another sirenian however are an exception, would be a bit odd for the keepers to put them in a habitat with just a little bit of land unless they throw them directly in the water. Plus how annoying it is to make under water viewing with land covering the top parts of the tank to make viewing bearable unless you change the water color.
I have never seen one. Can anyone tell me about zoos or aquariums that have manatees? I wonder if there are any that are in landlocked states.

There's a few zoos in Europe with them and they are getting more popular. Currently the following hold them:

1. Odense Zoo, Denmark
2. Randers Regenskov, Denmark
3. Paris Zoo, France
4. ZooParc de Beauval, France
5. Duisburg Zoo, Germany
6. Tiergarten Nuremberg, Germany
7. Genoa Aquarium, Italy
8. Burgers Zoo, Netherlands
9. Wroclaw Zoo, Poland
10. Faunia Madrid, Spain

 

[Spiderhawk]

Thanks to all of you who filled me in.
Another question, what sirenians are found in zoos? Is it just WIM or are dugongs found as well?

 

[Cynogale bennettii II]

There is a dugong at Sydney Aquarium (by the name of Pig) and they are also kept in Japan. I believe Japan is the only country in the world to keep all four species of sirenian (the dugong and West Indian, African and Amazonian manatees).

 

[Fallax]

COEX aquarium in South Korea has African manatees also. I can't recall which in Japan have African and Amazonian manatees.

Also worth noting, I believe all captive manatees in the United States are Florida manatees while those in Europe are Antillean manatees.