Planet Zoo IRL Challenge | 2025 (Rules, Template, etc!)

[SanRazo]

Please don’t go to Sea World.

It’s AZA approved and they do a lot of rehab work. All of their animals are rescues or unreleasable. Yes cetaceans in captivity is a hot button issue. But you can’t release the ones that have been born and raised there

 

[Eletan888]

Please don’t go to Sea World.

Thank you for sharing your concern. Personally though from the research I've done, I don't have an issue supporting SeaWorld as they exist and run today.

 

[Leaf Productions]

Hi! Is it about how many of those species you saw in 2025 or in general?

I also want to know this can we count past experiences? Or do you refresh each year?

This thread's for 2025 but happy to see what you guys have for your lifetimes!

 

[OnlyCommunication3]

I've been eyeing that place and we're staying at my Aunt's who live in Sanford for a night. Sadly, with everything else it might be just a little bit too much zoo for my family (crazy right?) I would love to work at a facility in Florida at some point so if not next week, then hopefully I can visit sooner rather than later!

It's a great place to visit. While it is smaller than most Florida zoos (I've been to most of them) it has a lot of charm. I used to work there, along with volunteering at Brevard. It's funny to see those names pop up, small world, eh?

 

[Antimony96]

Without even visiting a zoo I'm at a total of 2 thanks to both species of scorpion in the live animal room of my local natural history museum.

Not bothering to use the doc but having visited the Philadelphia Zoo on 2/7 I can add:
Cuvier's dwarf caiman
Red-eyed tree frog
Fire salamander
Axolotl
Gila monster
Galapagos giant tortoise
Aldabra giant tortoise
Western lowland gorilla
Sumatran orangutan (subbing for Bornean orangutan)
Coquerel's sifaka
African lion (subbing for West African lion)
Amur tiger
Snow leopard
Cheetah
Plains zebra
Emu
Goliath birdeater
Mexican redknee tarantula
Alpaca

 

[Antimony96]

Not bothering to use the doc but having visited the Philadelphia Zoo on 2/7 I can add:
Cuvier's dwarf caiman
Red-eyed tree frog
Fire salamander
Axolotl
Gila monster
Galapagos giant tortoise
Aldabra giant tortoise
Western lowland gorilla
Sumatran orangutan (subbing for Bornean orangutan)
Coquerel's sifaka
African lion (subbing for West African lion)
Amur tiger
Snow leopard
Cheetah
Plains zebra
Emu
Goliath birdeater
Mexican redknee tarantula
Alpaca

Visited again a couple weeks ago and can add:
Hippopotamus
Southern white rhinoceros
Red river hog
Reticulated giraffe
Red kangaroo
Indian peafowl

Depending on what's revealed in the coming weeks, I may be able to pre-emptively add the white-faced saki and American flamingo.

 

[SanRazo]

So far this year I’ve been to:

Disneys Animal kingdom (& lodge)
Epcot’s the Seas
Central Florida Zoo
SeaWorld Orlando
Gatorland

My list so far of in game animals I’ve seen:

African Bush Elephant
Greater Flamingo
Goat
Sheep
Pig
Llama
Donkey
Chicken
Cattle (Ankole Watusi)
Reticulated Giraffe
African Wild Dog
Sable Antelope
Hippopotamus
Gemsbok
Thompsons Gazelle
Lion
Cheetah
Amur Leopard
Tiger (Sumatran)
Water Buffalo (Domestic)
White Rhinoceros
Black Rhinoceros
American Alligator
Asian Small clawed Otter
Lowland Gorilla
Saltwater Crocodile
Cougar
Raccoon (Wild)
King Penguin
California Sea Lion
Galapagos Giant Tortoise
Aldabra Tortoise
Plains Zebra
Springbok
Common Ostrich
Common Warthog
Common Wildebeest
Okapi
Bongo
Nyala
Meerkat
Komodo Dragon
Lar Gibbon
Siamang
African Spurred Tortoise
Babirusa
Giant Anteater
Mandrill
Emu
Red kangaroo
Fossa
Ring tailed lemur
Indian rhinoceros
Red ruffed lemur
Collared peccary (wasn’t out but was at the zoo)
African crested Procupine

Will update if I remember anything else.

I usually go to ZooTampa but haven’t been able to make it there this year. Will definitely cross off A LOT more there