Spring dlc Speculation 2023

[nutrit]

Can you elaborate on the circus thing?

Animals exhibited only for human pleasure and enjoyment. There is no other purpose to keep them since they don’t have conservation status.
Screaming kids tugging the donkey on the ear and others trying to ride goats.
It just always makes me sad to watch that majority of people don’t have respect to animals.

 

[SalamAnders]

Domestic animals live much better lifes in zoos than they do in the farms where they are breed for being housed.

It is not like the zookeepers only take good care of the exotic species, and then just do the bare minimum to keep the domestics alive.

In most cases there will be areas for the animals to go where the guests can't follow. Also remember the zoos exist after their opening hours, so there are lots of hours without kids around.

In the end I have seen more people being scared of goats, than I have seen goats being scared of people.

The kind of kids you describe, are the same who will bang on the windows in the terrarium or throw rocks at the animals to make them move. They are not only in the petting zoo.
It is not like doing these things are allowed, but sadly jerks who choose to ignore rules are everywhere.

 

[Utahraptor Arcanus]

Animals exhibited only for human pleasure and enjoyment. There is no other purpose to keep them since they don’t have conservation status.
Screaming kids tugging the donkey on the ear and others trying to ride goats.
It just always makes me sad to watch that majority of people don’t have respect to animals.

there's a lot of animals in the game that have no conservation values as well.
capybaras, African antelopes, deer's, peafowls and many others have low or zero conservation value, but they are still in the game, and in capy case was a very popular animal before entering.

 

[Captain Callum]

Screaming kids tugging the donkey on the ear and others trying to ride goats.
It just always makes me sad to watch that majority of people don’t have respect to animals.

Seems to be getting worse these days that certain zoos are actually stopping the whole petting zoo experience entirely by making the walkthrough habitats just normal habitats. Essentially a children's zoo really

 

[TheHippoGirl]

I feel like we are having this discussion all the time... As I've already said, I'm not interested in a petting zoo pack because there are still 1000 species I would prefer than a goat, a cow or a domestic donkey. Moreover, like @nutrit, I think petting zoos are not great for the animals. Some zoos in Europe are getting rid of their petting zoo and I think it's a good thing.

 

[nutrit]

Seems to be getting worse these days that certain zoos are actually stopping the whole petting zoo experience entirely by making the walkthrough habitats just normal habitats. Essentially a children's zoo really

That’s how it’s made in Hellabrunn - they have created a village with animals in their enclosures and they can be pet only if they want to be. It makes much sense.

It’s not like I don’t enjoy domestic species but they have lower priority to me than the wild ones.
I think that Scottish cattle would be amazing to have but not before highly requested wild species.

 

[Magnolia]

That’s how it’s made in Hellabrunn - they have created a village with animals in their enclosures and they can be pet only if they want to be. It makes much sense.

It’s not like I don’t enjoy domestic species but they have lower priority to me than the wild ones.
I think that Scottish cattle would be amazing to have but not before highly requested wild species.

Ah, see this what I think of when I think of petting zoos. It also goes back to my idea for an education pack. I'll be the first to say domestics aren't at the top of my list but I wouldn't say that they don't have a spot in the game(not accusing anyone of saying that, just stating my own opinions).

I think children's zoo section of zoos are pretty rad, they can have pretty much anything. The Virginia Zoo's Zoo farm section has mara, Crested porcupines, several monkeys, and used to have Victoria crowned pigeons and kookaburra before they were moved to other parts of the Zoo. This is in addition to your typical barnyard roster, as well as technically containing the world of reptiles exhibit.

 

[biggest_dreamer]

Ah, see this what I think of when I think of petting zoos. It also goes back to my idea for an education pack. I'll be the first to say domestics aren't at the top of my list but I wouldn't say that they don't have a spot in the game(not accusing anyone of saying that, just stating my own opinions).

I think children's zoo section of zoos are pretty rad, they can have pretty much anything. The Virginia Zoo's Zoo farm section has mara, Crested porcupines, several monkeys, and used to have Victoria crowned pigeons and kookaburra before they were moved to other parts of the Zoo. This is in addition to your typical barnyard roster, as well as technically containing the world of reptiles exhibit.

Virginia Zoo is always the first that comes to mind when I think of nice, well integrated children’s zoo/barnyard areas. I still really want a pack consisting of three or four full domestics (dwarf goat, donkey, and one or two out of a pig, cow, sheep, pony, rabbit, guinea pig - I’d go with the kunekune personally) and a handful of children’s zoo friendly exotics (crested porcupine, mara, golden lion tamarin are my top three for this part but other things like a sloth, squirrel monkey, African spurred tortoise all work too) maybe tied together by a duck or stork or guineafowl and then budgies for the walkthrough. This approach lends great synergy to not only the existing llama/camel/deer as well as gives new utility to species such as the red panda, prairie dog (also kept in Virginia’s!), raccoon, lemurs, capuchin, otters, wallaby, and whatever else you’d find in a children’s zoo.

Honestly, devoting just three slots to full on domestics would add so much more to the game than just three animals in my eyes.

 

[Pentoleaf]

Domestics also give new story telling opportunities. I would really like to build a farm or a farm animal rescue, and then build onto it bit by bit until it becomes a modern zoo.

 

[nutrit]

Domestics also give new story telling opportunities. I would really like to build a farm or a farm animal rescue, and then build onto it bit by bit until it becomes a modern zoo.

Honestly that sounds solid and I would really like this opportunity. Maybe it will come with farming abilities like producing own food for animals. That would be great.
I would buy and support the domestic pack but please in 2024.

 

[YesIndeed]

well... yeah techinally but most petting zoos cannot use llamas and camel as the only option. There must be a reason why i have to use wild pigs, sheep, cattle to make even a basic petting zoo

Wait but what's the 3rd domestic I though llama and camel were the only ones

 

[Captain Callum]

Wait but what's the 3rd domestic I though llama and camel were the only ones

I'm not sure actually, fallow deer maybe? Fallow deer in some areas are often kept as livestock so they sort of belong to domestics. But then I live near a farm which has domesticated red deer , I would never class red deer as domestic

 

[SalamAnders]

Wait but what's the 3rd domestic I though llama and camel were the only ones

Reindeer I guess

 

[SivatheriumGuy]

As for now, the only domestics are the llama and camel.
I pretend the water buffalo is the domestic one, so maybe that's it?

 

[DarthQuell]

Animals exhibited only for human pleasure and enjoyment. There is no other purpose to keep them since they don’t have conservation status.
Screaming kids tugging the donkey on the ear and others trying to ride goats.
It just always makes me sad to watch that majority of people don’t have respect to animals.

I mean, yeah, makes sense. But for all we know, could some of these animals be rescues? Better than being slaughtered, methinks.
And about the people harming the animals, I think the problem is that, in the past at least, petting zoos weren't controlled environments. Too many people entering and too few keepers to watch...

Maybe zoos should look to Planet Zoo for inspiration and actually add special keepers/guards that can remind guests to respect the animals and ask/force them to leave if they don't listen, since signs aren't always the best choice...

Domestic animals live much better lifes in zoos than they do in the farms where they are breed for being housed.

It is not like the zookeepers only take good care of the exotic species, and then just do the bare minimum to keep the domestics alive.

In most cases there will be areas for the animals to go where the guests can't follow. Also remember the zoos exist after their opening hours, so there are lots of hours without kids around.

In the end I have seen more people being scared of goats, than I have seen goats being scared of people.

The kind of kids you describe, are the same who will bang on the windows in the terrarium or throw rocks at the animals to make them move. They are not only in the petting zoo.
It is not like doing these things are allowed, but sadly jerks who choose to ignore rules are everywhere.

Yeah, unfortunately. Houston Zoo has a petting zoo with barely few guests and some adorable goats. They can go to a guest free area to avoid the crowd

That’s how it’s made in Hellabrunn - they have created a village with animals in their enclosures and they can be pet only if they want to be. It makes much sense.

It’s not like I don’t enjoy domestic species but they have lower priority to me than the wild ones.
I think that Scottish cattle would be amazing to have but not before highly requested wild species.

That sounds so cool

Domestics also give new story telling opportunities. I would really like to build a farm or a farm animal rescue, and then build onto it bit by bit until it becomes a modern zoo.

Oh man, now I want domestics even more. I still think that domestic animals will be universally loved once we get them. This feels like the spectacled caiman issue again; something most hated but now most love...

 

[biggest_dreamer]

The comparison I've been making for domestics lately (and again, I really only want/expect maybe 3ish "barnyard" species plus the dromedary) is that they'd be similar to the red fox. A lukewarm at best reception on these forums in particular, but overall they're going to be instantly beloved. I can see them, goats in particular, going over incredibly well across the Reddit/Twitter/YouTube populace. Compare this to the red fox, where many on these forums act like it's the second coming of the Himalayan brown bear and the wombat was the only reasonable habitat species in that pack, but on the whole the fox has ranked at the top of literally every poll I've seen on those other sites, and usually by an appreciable margin.

 

[TheDuckKnight]

I will not stand for this Domestic/Petting Zoo slander when it's a good chance we might finally get a duck in it! NO!

 

[SivatheriumGuy]

Ducks could come in any pack I can imagine, to be honest. Although if we get them in a petting zoo pack I will not complain.

 

[SanRazo618]

I will not stand for this Domestic/Petting Zoo slander when it's a good chance we might finally get a duck in it! NO!

God I really want ducks/ wading birds now. In front of my house a bunch of big white pelicans and black cormorants are chilling from their migration in our lake out front and it’s a sight to see. The other day I saw them, ducks (2 species: mallard and Muscovy), a pond turtle, fish, and a adult and juvenile bald eagle fighting over a fish all in front of my house in this man made lake! It was amazing. I also saw a cardinal in my jog so that was cool. In my neighborhood alone I’ve also seen alligators, river otters, and a white tailed deer! Wow I’m realizing now my neighborhood has a lot of wildlife.

 

[Narwhaler]

The comparison I've been making for domestics lately (and again, I really only want/expect maybe 3ish "barnyard" species plus the dromedary) is that they'd be similar to the red fox. A lukewarm at best reception on these forums in particular, but overall they're going to be instantly beloved. I can see them, goats in particular, going over incredibly well across the Reddit/Twitter/YouTube populace. Compare this to the red fox, where many on these forums act like it's the second coming of the Himalayan brown bear and the wombat was the only reasonable habitat species in that pack, but on the whole the fox has ranked at the top of literally every poll I've seen on those other sites, and usually by an appreciable margin.

Goats? I doubt they would be welcomed by the community at all, if some players slandered on the Przewalski's horse for being "just a horse" I can't imagine the outrage of just getting a lame ibex clone such as a domestic goat, specially when any other wild caprine would be so much interesting to have. Besides, while the red fox is popular (because haha fluffy cute and widely known mammal zzzz), it is still a wild animal + an animal's popularity among the general public doesn't always equal to a good addition to a zoo game. I think a more comparable example would be getting a Pallas cat in a highlands pack or the ocelot in a forests pack (imo both are really poor additions, but they are still very popular animals on the internet because fluffy and cute (zzzzzz) so they would be basically guaranteed).

Additionally, I don't think a domestic pack would have that much of an appeal unless it has something original like a duck or a rabbit, and even then the duck and the rabbit would have to be wild species to be interesting additions so it doesn't really make sense. Besides, focusing on domestics over wild animals when the game so profusely tries to sell its focus on conservation is a pretty big bruh moment, in that "polemic" regard a marine pack stands a way bigger chance if you ask me.

And I agree with what others said, ducks aren't really bound to a domestic pack, they can perfectly go in a birds or even forests pack (I had mandarin duck in one of my wishlists for example, because it lives in East Asian forests). A rabbit could go in a forests pack or in the so often mentioned highlands pack. Other "interesting" domestics (yak, dromedary, whatever) also fit in overall more interesting themes as well so we aren't really losing anything of value.

Anyway I need swan, duck and rabbit!!!!