American black bear. There's just no possible substitutes.
White-tailed deer. I know this is a broadly unpopular species here, but again: you absolutely cannot substitute it with any of our existing deer when building a North American zoo.
Good:
Virginia opossum. Same niche as the skunk, raccoon, and even fox, yet truly unique at the same time.
Wild turkey. It would be the region’s first bird and it’s a rather versatile species for zoo use.
Coyote. Naturally anything vaguely wolflike is going to have its detractors, but I think these guys have gotten a bit more popular with time. It’s be nice to have a canine for the south and east.
North American river otter. One of the most common species in US zoos. The only reason they aren’t essential in my eyes is because the ASCO is actually an okay substitute in most cases.
North American porcupine. I much prefer Brazilian, but they aren’t mutually exclusive or anything.
Oddballs:
Harbor seal. I used to say I could do without it, but I’ve come to realize just how different they are from the grey seal, not to mention far more common.
Red wolf. Critically endangered with fewer than 20 individuals in the wild. Despite this, the species is thriving in captivity and are exploding across the zoo scene.
Gray fox. I don’t personally need another temperate fox (and clearly, if we’re getting another dog for this region my hopes are within canis) but they are cute and their affinity for climbing does make them rather unique.
Bobcat. I flip flopped on whether or not to include this one at all, given just how similar it is to our current lynx. Ultimately I’m just including it for thoroughness’s sake - it really is the last common “NA version” of an existing species, and its inclusion would go a long ways in building NA zoos. It just doesn’t feel as essential as any of the others I’ve mentioned.
So I went on traveling just before we could finish discussing the last region. I kept this one for last because it has the most active users living in it. I'm back and ready to finallly complete this thread!
For each discussion, answer what you think we need from it in the following format:
Essential animals
Animals which you think must be in the game
Good additions
Animals you think are good for the region but not necessary
Unexpected oddballs
Animals you think could come as a surprise but are not on the common radar (i.e. low/nonexistant on the wishlists)
So I went on traveling just before we could finish discussing the last region. I kept this one for last because it has the most active users living in it. I'm back and ready to finallly complete this thread!
For each discussion, answer what you think we need from it in the following format:
Essential animals
Animals which you think must be in the game
Good additions
Animals you think are good for the region but not necessary
Unexpected oddballs
Animals you think could come as a surprise but are not on the common radar (i.e. low/nonexistant on the wishlists)
Discussion #21: Temperate North America
American alligator
American bison
American bullfrog (E)
California sea lion
Cloudless sulphur (WE)
Cougar
Diamondback terrapin (E)
Grey seal
Grizzly bear
Moose
Monarch (WE)
North american beaver
Pronghorn
Raccoon
Red fox
Striped skunk
Timber wolf
feel free to comment on previously discussed regions, and I'll add your input to the main post.
Essential Animals:
. White-tailed Deer (Not counting Moose or Reindeer, it needs a deer)
. American Black Bear (Very iconic, widespread, and has many unique variations)
. Coati (SA and NA rep, awesome raccoon cousin)
. Gray Fox (Tree climber, unique, and interesting animal)
. Collared Peccary (Coati of Swines)
Good Additions:
. Wild Turkey (Thanksgiving icon)
. North American River Otter (Common in zoos, cool critter)
. American Badger (NA needs a mustelid!)
. Bobcat (Cool cat club member )
. (Eastern) Coyote (Wolf-dog-coyote mix)
. Virginia Opossum (American Tassie Devil)
Unexpected Oddballs:
. Bighorn Sheep (American Aoudad)
. Elk/Wapiti (Big boy deer)
. Ringtail (Do NOT call it a cat!)
. Mountain Goat (Rocky Road Ahead!)
. North American Porcupine (Quilled Climber)
First I'd like to really thank the couple of you that wrote to me to ask how I am in these hard times, I really appreciated everyone that was concerned!
Now for a little update. Things here in Israel have been terrible for the past couple of weeks. I'm doing okay and helping wherever possible, but I did not get any free time in the past couple of weeks being on reserve duty. Just got a couple days off this week.
This is not the proper forum to get into anything beyond this little update, nor do I wanna risk triggering a political disscussion in a zoo game forum, so I just gave this personal update, and for any further update you are welcome to DM as to not derail the thread and forum.
For the on-topic part: I took the ooportunity and completed the main region ranking post. All regions are completed with the lists of all in-game animals, all of your suggestions for additions categorized by the popularity of the animals, and the status of each region in the representation map. It's quite cool to look back at the post and see the progress, and everyone's participation in it.
I'd like to thank everyone that participated, it was a great time!
I don't think I'll be on the forums a lot in the coming weeks, and I don't know how bad will the situation get, or how safe I'll be, so I wanted to give this update for the time being. See you in a while.
First I'd like to really thank the couple of you that wrote to me to ask how I am in these hard times, I really appreciated everyone that was concerned!
Now for a little update. Things here in Israel have been terrible for the past couple of weeks. I'm doing okay and helping wherever possible, but I did not get any free time in the past couple of weeks being on reserve duty. Just got a couple days off this week.
This is not the proper forum to get into anything beyond this little update, nor do I wanna risk triggering a political disscussion in a zoo game forum, so I just gave this personal update, and for any further update you are welcome to DM as to not derail the thread and forum.
For the on-topic part: I took the ooportunity and completed the main region ranking post. All regions are completed with the lists of all in-game animals, all of your suggestions for additions categorized by the popularity of the animals, and the status of each region in the representation map. It's quite cool to look back at the post and see the progress, and everyone's participation in it.
I'd like to thank everyone that participated, it was a great time!
I don't think I'll be on the forums a lot in the coming weeks, and I don't know how bad will the situation get, or how safe I'll be, so I wanted to give this update for the time being. See you in a while.
First I'd like to really thank the couple of you that wrote to me to ask how I am in these hard times, I really appreciated everyone that was concerned!
Now for a little update. Things here in Israel have been terrible for the past couple of weeks. I'm doing okay and helping wherever possible, but I did not get any free time in the past couple of weeks being on reserve duty. Just got a couple days off this week.
This is not the proper forum to get into anything beyond this little update, nor do I wanna risk triggering a political disscussion in a zoo game forum, so I just gave this personal update, and for any further update you are welcome to DM as to not derail the thread and forum.
For the on-topic part: I took the ooportunity and completed the main region ranking post. All regions are completed with the lists of all in-game animals, all of your suggestions for additions categorized by the popularity of the animals, and the status of each region in the representation map. It's quite cool to look back at the post and see the progress, and everyone's participation in it.
I'd like to thank everyone that participated, it was a great time!
I don't think I'll be on the forums a lot in the coming weeks, and I don't know how bad will the situation get, or how safe I'll be, so I wanted to give this update for the time being. See you in a while.
Thanks for the update, I hope the situation will settle down as soon as possible, what has been happening around the world lately is really frustrating. Take care and best wishes.
Oy do we all agree that atleast north american desert should go to green and propaply south american savannah should aswell?
The peccary was the last essential for north american deserts with only a few more niche additions left to be make, seeming like a clear cut green to me.
South American Savannah has monkeys ranked as a second essential and while the very popular black howler lives there most other animals are rather low profile, so the argument could defenetly made to make it South americas first green region
Oy do we all agree that atleast north american desert should go to green and propaply south american savannah should aswell?
The peccary was the last essential for north american deserts with only a few more niche additions left to be make, seeming like a clear cut green to me.
South American Savannah has monkeys ranked as a second essential and while the very popular black howler lives there most other animals are rather low profile, so the argument could defenetly made to make it South americas first green region
I would have to agree! North America's deserts have fairly decent representation in game. I still think the South American Savannah should stay yellow though
I would have to agree! North America's deserts have fairly decent representation in game. I still think the South American Savannah should stay yellow though
Oy do we all agree that atleast north american desert should go to green and propaply south american savannah should aswell?
The peccary was the last essential for north american deserts with only a few more niche additions left to be make, seeming like a clear cut green to me.
South American Savannah has monkeys ranked as a second essential and while the very popular black howler lives there most other animals are rather low profile, so the argument could defenetly made to make it South americas first green region
Agreed on both! I think of NW monkeys as essential to Amazonia but that it’s possible to make a complete-feeling Brazilian tropical savanna type of area without one.
Although it seems people didn't list it as essential in their own posts, the greater rhea is probably one of the more notable missing species of the region. I think people associate rheas more with Patagonia and the Pampas but they push deep into the tropical savannahs too. Besides them (and maybe even without them) I would consider the South American savannah to be green though, which is exciting!
To answer my own question, but for blue, besides the rhea and black howler the animal i mainly got on my mind is the red legged seriema.
The last surviving relatives of the terror bird is quite the interesting fellow and kind if like a south american secretary bird but smaller.
With 114 EAZA holdings they are also very common in zoos, making them even more a great but not needed addition to flesh out south americas grasslands and dry forests, perfect to put the region to blue
Rhea as the bare minimum, plus black howler and a few other habitat-suitable birds like a screamer or seriema.
NA desert can move to green--the black bear and ocelot are arguably necessary but are more associated with other biomes. Central America still has pitifully low representation for its sheer biodiversity and should stay orange.
Oy do we all agree that atleast north american desert should go to green and propaply south american savannah should aswell?
The peccary was the last essential for north american deserts with only a few more niche additions left to be make, seeming like a clear cut green to me.
South American Savannah has monkeys ranked as a second essential and while the very popular black howler lives there most other animals are rather low profile, so the argument could defenetly made to make it South americas first green region
NA Desert. - Green (although bobcats are pretty infamous).
SA Grasslands - Yellow.
I would want Greater rhea as an essential given how it is in nearly every south american section of any zoo that has one.
I also think Bush Dogs, Black Howlers and Azara's Agouti are pretty essential for me given their prominence in zoos and kind of fall in to that grassland and rainforest inhabiting group.
With NA Desert now going to green, Indian Savanna (Indian Subcontinent south of the Himalayas) now becomes the only non-grey region to see no color progress since the base game
Granted, the reason is because it was much better developed in the base game than most other regions. It also got some excellent animals (dhole, water buffalo) in expansions for whom India is the main region. Striped hyena, ASC otter, even water monitor are useful. And the dromedary actually goes very well with the Rajasthan feel and architecture of the Indian theme. But that medium-sized ungulate (blackbuck/other antelope/muntjac/other deer) and especially a monkey really do need to come through.
On SA Savanna color - after looking at what seems like a good example exhibit area of this biome (Houston Zoo's Pantanal), I'm inclined to agree with Yellow. More for a bird (I'm partial to the seriema, but rhea is the obvious one) and secondarily the howler.
Oy do we all agree that atleast north american desert should go to green and propaply south american savannah should aswell?
The peccary was the last essential for north american deserts with only a few more niche additions left to be make, seeming like a clear cut green to me.
South American Savannah has monkeys ranked as a second essential and while the very popular black howler lives there most other animals are rather low profile, so the argument could defenetly made to make it South americas first green region
I would have to agree! North America's deserts have fairly decent representation in game. I still think the South American Savannah should stay yellow though
)
