I thought I'd start a thread about the reasons certain animals are animals you really want in the game. Not so much justification, just interest and discussion. Everyone's got a right to want what they want. Who knows though, it may be that the reasoning behind some people's wants may convince other players to want the animal too. I'm going to keep this to my top 10, but everyone's welcome to discuss however many you want, without turning it into a novel sized post.
Wolverine - This animals is pretty much only one of two cold weather animals I still strongly want in the game. All of my temperate/taiga zoos, when I think about another animal that we don't have yet, it's almost always the Wolverine that comes to mind. I think this is the most essential reason for me. They're visually different than what we already have, and bolster the small to medium sized animal roster. Their fierceness is well known if not legendary, to the point that one of the most popular comic characters is named after them. I like that it would offer another European animal as well; in fact, it's the only animal in my top 10 that represents, Asia, Europe and North America (so it's funny it represents all three).
Red River Hog - It looks very different from other pig type animals, and is common in many zoos. It's also in my local zoo, which is a huge part of the reason I want them. While it doesn't add anything new in the actual biome, as most of that's covered by the Warthog, it's still my go-to animal when I think of something tropical I'd like to see. Honestly depending on the zoo I'm playing, it's a split between the Red River Hog and the Wolverine as to what I want to see more, but since the RRH does have a similar animal to the Warthog, it takes the #2 spot.
Crested Porcupine - My go-to animal for the dryer climates. It's another small animal and very unique looking. They're also one of three general publicly recognizable mammals not in the game (the others being sloths and the Walrus), IMO of course. We have a Cape Porcupine at our local zoo so I'd definitely want an Old World species, but the Crested seems to be the one that's most latched on to popularity wise. I'd be fine with either Crested or Cape though.
Emu - My first three animals are in a level of want on their own, so anything below that is definitely a lesser priority. Admittedly I wasn't on the Emu bandwagon from the start, and wasn't an animal that was even on my want for an Australia pack from launch, but I've seen the light. They're very common in zoos and a pretty necessary Australian animal. While the physical resemblance to the Ostrich is there, they represent something from a different continent.
Maned Wolf - We have quite a few canines but there's a few I'd like to see added still. Popular and a great representation for non-Amazonian South America. I'm really a fan of canines in general and this one looks a bit different than what's in the game now. It's also another medium sized animal, like most of my top tier animals. They're probably the most exotic non-Oceanian animal on my list and I hope we get them. They're definitely a species I'd like to see for many of my South American zoo sections.
Sloth - Instantly recognizable to both animal lovers and casual zoo goers, very unique looking and a near-iconic and near-necessary inclusion for Amazonian South America. I can't overstate the overall importance of getting a sloth in game, even if it ranks a little lower on my personal want list. Also, like most of my top 10, a smaller type of animal. They're also in my local zoo so that's a plus.
Tasmanian Devil - It took me so long to get on this particular hype train, but it's a major want now. I still can't figure out the high level- intensity for them, but I agree they're an important addition. Also unique looking, giving us another Australian animal, and another small animal.
Spectacled Bear - At first I wanted the American Black Bear more but I came to realize why we're so much better off with the Spectacled Bear. It's an ursine from South America, and non-tropical South America as well, which is lacking comparatively. It's also the bear that my local zoo has. While it goes against most of the rest of my top 10 and is a larger animal, I think it's an important one to get.
Jackal - Preferably either the Black Backed or Golden Jackal. I do love my canines, and it always seems that jackals get forgotten about when it comes to zoo games. The Golden Jackal would give us a Middle Eastern desert animal so it probably would be a better pick than the Black Backed Jackal, which has much in common with the African Wild Dog distribution wise. It's the one "long shot" animal still in my top 10, that's not gotten much support for inclusion, so I don't suspect it'll make it in, but for me personally it would be great to see it.
Tree Kangaroo - Another popular animal, small, unique looking and from Oceania. I'd probably lean towards the Goodfellow's species but I'm open to others. This just checks a lot of boxes and if we got this, the Emu and Tasmanian Devil I'd be pretty happy with our Oceania roster, even though New Zealand would not have representation (a kiwi would be nice but it's not top 10 for me). It would also bring the game up to 5 marsupials, all of which look very different from one another, and for me, that would be enough.
All in all I'm fairly confident most of these will make it in the game. 7 out of 10 of these are in the meta-list, and it it happens to be my top 7 too. The Tree Kangaroo is right near it, and the Spectacled Bear is near the top 30 so it wouldn't be a unpopular choice. The Jackal's really the only one I'd think wouldn't make it in, and given it's similarity to the AWD, I'd be alright if it didn't. What's interesting to me is that most of these are smaller-medium sized animals, and half of them look completely different from anything in the game. And those that share visual similarities, like the Spectacled Bear, Emu and Maned Wolf, they are in different ranges than what's in the game already.
I'm interested in what other people's reasoning for their main wants would be.
Wolverine - This animals is pretty much only one of two cold weather animals I still strongly want in the game. All of my temperate/taiga zoos, when I think about another animal that we don't have yet, it's almost always the Wolverine that comes to mind. I think this is the most essential reason for me. They're visually different than what we already have, and bolster the small to medium sized animal roster. Their fierceness is well known if not legendary, to the point that one of the most popular comic characters is named after them. I like that it would offer another European animal as well; in fact, it's the only animal in my top 10 that represents, Asia, Europe and North America (so it's funny it represents all three).
Red River Hog - It looks very different from other pig type animals, and is common in many zoos. It's also in my local zoo, which is a huge part of the reason I want them. While it doesn't add anything new in the actual biome, as most of that's covered by the Warthog, it's still my go-to animal when I think of something tropical I'd like to see. Honestly depending on the zoo I'm playing, it's a split between the Red River Hog and the Wolverine as to what I want to see more, but since the RRH does have a similar animal to the Warthog, it takes the #2 spot.
Crested Porcupine - My go-to animal for the dryer climates. It's another small animal and very unique looking. They're also one of three general publicly recognizable mammals not in the game (the others being sloths and the Walrus), IMO of course. We have a Cape Porcupine at our local zoo so I'd definitely want an Old World species, but the Crested seems to be the one that's most latched on to popularity wise. I'd be fine with either Crested or Cape though.
Emu - My first three animals are in a level of want on their own, so anything below that is definitely a lesser priority. Admittedly I wasn't on the Emu bandwagon from the start, and wasn't an animal that was even on my want for an Australia pack from launch, but I've seen the light. They're very common in zoos and a pretty necessary Australian animal. While the physical resemblance to the Ostrich is there, they represent something from a different continent.
Maned Wolf - We have quite a few canines but there's a few I'd like to see added still. Popular and a great representation for non-Amazonian South America. I'm really a fan of canines in general and this one looks a bit different than what's in the game now. It's also another medium sized animal, like most of my top tier animals. They're probably the most exotic non-Oceanian animal on my list and I hope we get them. They're definitely a species I'd like to see for many of my South American zoo sections.
Sloth - Instantly recognizable to both animal lovers and casual zoo goers, very unique looking and a near-iconic and near-necessary inclusion for Amazonian South America. I can't overstate the overall importance of getting a sloth in game, even if it ranks a little lower on my personal want list. Also, like most of my top 10, a smaller type of animal. They're also in my local zoo so that's a plus.
Tasmanian Devil - It took me so long to get on this particular hype train, but it's a major want now. I still can't figure out the high level- intensity for them, but I agree they're an important addition. Also unique looking, giving us another Australian animal, and another small animal.
Spectacled Bear - At first I wanted the American Black Bear more but I came to realize why we're so much better off with the Spectacled Bear. It's an ursine from South America, and non-tropical South America as well, which is lacking comparatively. It's also the bear that my local zoo has. While it goes against most of the rest of my top 10 and is a larger animal, I think it's an important one to get.
Jackal - Preferably either the Black Backed or Golden Jackal. I do love my canines, and it always seems that jackals get forgotten about when it comes to zoo games. The Golden Jackal would give us a Middle Eastern desert animal so it probably would be a better pick than the Black Backed Jackal, which has much in common with the African Wild Dog distribution wise. It's the one "long shot" animal still in my top 10, that's not gotten much support for inclusion, so I don't suspect it'll make it in, but for me personally it would be great to see it.
Tree Kangaroo - Another popular animal, small, unique looking and from Oceania. I'd probably lean towards the Goodfellow's species but I'm open to others. This just checks a lot of boxes and if we got this, the Emu and Tasmanian Devil I'd be pretty happy with our Oceania roster, even though New Zealand would not have representation (a kiwi would be nice but it's not top 10 for me). It would also bring the game up to 5 marsupials, all of which look very different from one another, and for me, that would be enough.
All in all I'm fairly confident most of these will make it in the game. 7 out of 10 of these are in the meta-list, and it it happens to be my top 7 too. The Tree Kangaroo is right near it, and the Spectacled Bear is near the top 30 so it wouldn't be a unpopular choice. The Jackal's really the only one I'd think wouldn't make it in, and given it's similarity to the AWD, I'd be alright if it didn't. What's interesting to me is that most of these are smaller-medium sized animals, and half of them look completely different from anything in the game. And those that share visual similarities, like the Spectacled Bear, Emu and Maned Wolf, they are in different ranges than what's in the game already.
I'm interested in what other people's reasoning for their main wants would be.
She's obsessed with any bears, real ones on TV or PZ ones, really.
