What common "basic" zoo animals are still missing from the game?

yoav_r

yoav_r
I'm talking about animals which are extremely widespread in zoos (as in found in hundreds of zoos) but are not in the game.

This year was great for this animal category, where we got:
  • ASCO
  • Capybara
  • Raccoon
  • Emu
  • Wallaby

Species like these allow to fill gaps in realistic areas that tend to have these less high profile animals alongside their "stars".

So, how many species like these are left? Basic species which are required for realism.
 

Fabian

Fabian
  • Dromedary, that one's a no-brainer, mostly because of how recognizable they are, even if they're far less common than Bactrian Camels.
  • Baboon, and it doesn't even matter which subspecies.
  • Any New World Monkey – the Common Marmoset or any Tamarin are probably high-ranking here, but also howlers or spider monkeys. To me, it's more about the general idea of NW monkeys than which species we actually end up getting (I just hope we'll get at least five down the road, as unlikely as I know that is).
  • Coatis are really common in zoos. I think I've seen them in just about any zoo I've been to.
  • Greater Rhea and Patagonian Mara are incredibly common for South American mixed species habitats. The Guanaco also fits into that category, but it's not the highest priority to me.
Other than that, it really depends on how you define "basic", but you could probably make a case for a set of petting zoo animals (Dwarf Goat, Shetland Pony, Watusi etc.), some smaller turtles, waterfowl and, of course, birds such as parrots, owls, toucans etc.
 

Cynogale bennettii II

Cynogale bennettii II
A few examples I can think of:
  • Domestics: I'm of two minds about these - I wouldn't mind them but at the same time I wouldn't feel short-changed if they didn't come. The most obvious choice would be the pygmy goat, and is also probably the most commonly-kept. Other options could include other exotic breeds of goat and sheep (the Cameroon sheep is also fairly common in zoos I have visited), donkeys and smaller pigs breeds like the Vietnamese potbelly and kunekune).
  • Waterfowl: Most zoos have at least some kind of exotic waterfowl. My favourite option is the bar-headed goose, with the black swan a close second. There are so many species of duck that I struggle to pick out just one or two species, although the white-faced whistling duck is definitely up there.
  • Smaller African monkeys: While baboons have been mentioned a lot, I tend to associate them with larger zoos. But a few species of smaller African monkey are often kept in smaller zoos and a few are what I would call 'starter species' - one a newly-opened zoo might invest in as an active, interesting display. Three that I think particularly fit this brief are the mantled guereza, grivet monkey and De Brazza's monkey.
- Exhibit animals: A lot of the exhibit species we get are quite rare in zoos, all things considered. We still lack any species of gecko, colubrid snake, agamid lizard (such as bearded dragons), the more common poison-dart frogs, true stick insects and mantises. Chameleons are, in my experience, not as universal as the aforementioned groups but are still common enough to warrant inclusion on this list.
 

Antimony96

Antimony96
The actual answer is domestics like the dromedary, pygmy goats, and domestic chickens, which are ubiquitous in most zoos but not present in PZ. But sticking to wild animals, and predominantly from a North American zoo perspective:

Mammals:
Two-toed sloth (both species)
Coati (white-nosed is more common in AZA, South American in EAZA)
Ocelot
American black bear
North American river otter
Patagonian mara
Mantled guereza
New world monkeys (golden lion tamarin, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, white-faced saki)
Porcupine (North American, Brazilian, and crested all qualify)
Red river hog
Elk/wapiti

Birds (habitat):
Greater rhea
Helmeted guineafowl
Golden pheasant
Mandarin and/or wood duck
Swans (mute, black, and/or trumpeter)
Egyptian goose
Southern screamer
White and/or marabou stork
Grey crowned crane
Pelican (great white and/or brown)
American and/or Chilean flamingo
Southern ground hornbill

Birds (aviary/WE):
Raptors (bald eagle, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, red-tailed hawk)
Owls (snowy, barn, great horned)
Parrots (budgerigar, lorikeets, African grey parrot, macaws, cockatoos)
Toco toucan
Andean (funny word)-of-the-rock
Laughing kookaburra
Victorian crowned pigeon
Bali myna
Scarlet ibis

Reptiles (habitat):
Sulcata tortoise
Potentially other tortoises (radiated, red-footed, leopard)

Reptiles & amphibians (exhibit):
Geckos (tokay, crested, leopard, Madagascar giant day)
Chameleons (veiled, panther, Jackson's)
Cobras (Egyptian, Indian, king)
Smaller python (ball, green tree)
Snapping turtle (common, alligator)
Argentine horned frog
African bullfrog
 
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NachoB

NachoB
Birds in general. Waterfowl, parrots and galliformes more than anything. Also the rhea (although maybe is just common where i live idk).
Patagonian Mara is also very common here, as well as the coati.
And primates. Lots of them, but mostly small primates like tamarins and marmosets and new and old world arboreal monkeys.
More snakes and lizards as well.
And well, domestic animals... but i really don't care much about them except for the dromedary.
 

South Tyrant

South Tyrant
yoav_r said:
I'm talking about animals which are extremely widespread in zoos (as in found in hundreds of zoos) but are not in the game.

This year was great for this animal category, where we got:
  • ASCO
  • Capybara
  • Raccoon
  • Emu
  • Wallaby

Species like these allow to fill gaps in realistic areas that tend to have these less high profile animals alongside their "stars".

So, how many species like these are left? Basic species which are required for realism.
Click to expand...
Birds with aviaries in general, aquarium tanks (Sharks, stingrays, sea turtles and more), Nile Crocodile, African Leopard, Black Caiman, Green Anaconda, Reticulated Python, Perentie Monitor Lizard, Black and White Tegu Lizard, Emerald Tree Boa...
 

BananaLeech

B
To start off with I am more than glad to see multiple people bring up tortoises. They are truly underrepresented.

Otherwise I’d argue that after meerkats, banded and dwarf mongooses (mongeese?) tend to be the second banana as ambassadors to herpestids. They would be a nice addition to the game. I’d also nominate yellow mongoose but they only have a prevalence in Europe.

For an Asian zoo perspective I’d argue for Eurasian wild boar, sika deer, and raccoon dog. I’d also bring up rhesus and crab-eating macaque but idk if they could make it with the Japanese macaque taking the spot for a mundane Asian Macaque.

Speaking of macaques Barbary macaques are more than dime-a-dozen in Europe. They would make a good candidate as an African monkey (we only have the mandrill so far) and has a great conservation message.
 
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