Species database
Planet Zoo 2 Animals
Care sheets for the species I've kept: how much space they need, what barrier stops them, which terrain and plants keep them happy, and how to turn their offspring into release groups.
48 species
Aardvark
Africa
A nocturnal soil rooter that pairs well with day-active neighbours such as warthogs.
African Leopard
Africa
Leopards are superb climbers. If a tree touches the fence line, assume they will use it.
African Wild Dog
Africa
Wild dogs are clever, chaotic pack animals. In career mode one arrives as a rescue with canine distemper.
Asian Elephant
Asia
The Asian elephant is one of the most space-hungry animals you can adopt. Each adult adds a big chunk of land to the requirement, so plan the habitat before you buy the herd, not after.
Asian Small-clawed Otter
Asia
Otters are lively, social and one of the best animals to show both above and below water.
Bactrian Camel
Asia
Camels are one of the simplest habitats to build, which makes them a good chance to practise making a simple space look interesting. Their improved animations, like walking sideways and placing their feet on slopes, make them fun to watch.
Black Wildebeest
Africa
Wildebeest look straightforward, but the group rules catch people out.
Blacktip Reef Shark
Indo-Pacific
The signature reef shark. It is curious and sociable, which makes it easy to mix with reef fish.
Brown Trout
Europe
A plain-looking but much-loved river fish that suits outdoor ponds in cold climates.
Cape Buffalo
Africa
A hardy herd animal that breeds steadily and can finish off a reserve's biodiversity rating.
Clown Anemonefish
Indo-Pacific
The most recognisable reef fish and a great flagship species for reef conservation education.
Common Hippopotamus
Africa
Hippos are a tier-3 franchise animal and a strong conservation-credit earner once they breed. The tricky part is plant coverage: they want much less than you think.
Common Warthog
Africa
Warthogs are cheap, breed fast and are an early source of conservation credits.
Eurasian Beaver
Europe
Beavers are cheap starter animals that breed constantly, so their habitat fills up faster than you expect.
Eurasian Brown Bear
Europe, Asia
Brown bears are a strong breeding species. Four cubs in one litter is possible, all of them adorable.
Eurasian Lynx
Europe, Asia
A small, low-maintenance cat that suits rocky temperate corners of the zoo.
Flamingo
Africa, South America
Flamingos are noisy, colourful and one of the few birds that work well in a walk-through aviary near the entrance. Breeding them is a treat: they claim nests, lay eggs and sit on them.
Gharial
Asia
The critically endangered gharial needs deep, warm water. Most of the work in this habitat is getting the water depth and the water temperature right.
Giant Panda
Asia
Giant pandas are a guest magnet. In sandbox they breed readily if you give them a good habitat with a male and a female.
Giant Scorpion
Africa
Scorpions live in exhibits and breed incredibly fast. That makes them a classic early source of conservation credits, and also a classic source of 'habitat too small' alerts.
Golden Eagle
Northern Hemisphere
A Deluxe Edition bird of prey and the most widely distributed eagle on the planet.
Golden Lion Tamarin
South America
A tiny, active primate whose wild population recovered from fewer than 200 to several thousand.
Grey Wolf
Europe, Asia, North America
Grey wolves are one of the most flexible animals in the game: they accept desert, tropical, grassland, taiga, temperate and tundra biomes. They are also persistent escape artists, so the barrier deserves more thought than the plants.
Grizzly Bear
North America
Grizzlies need a big habitat with water and solid rock walls they cannot climb.
Javanese Cownose Ray
Indo-Pacific
Cownose rays are social and mix with more than 24 aquatic species, but they hate cluttered tanks.
Komodo Dragon
Asia
The world's largest lizard has no thriving relationships with other species, so it always gets a habitat of its own.
Leopard Shark
Indo-Pacific
A calm, spotted shark that needs very little space and lives happily in groups. It's the perfect second shark species for a big tank.
Long-eared Owl
Europe
A small owl that's one of the easiest birds to release in the Scottish Highlands, but only if you give it the right nest.
Meerkat
Africa
Meerkats are a classic starter animal: cheap, quick to breed and easy to release. The flip side is that they inbreed if you stop paying attention.
Moon Jelly
Oceans
Moon jellies are an exhibit favourite, but they overheat in tropical tank settings.
Mountain Hare
Europe
Mountain hares turn white in winter and are a quick, easy release for Highlands reserves.
Nyala
Africa
A gentle antelope that mixes well into savanna habitats.
Ocellated Eagle Ray
Indo-Pacific, Atlantic
A big, graceful ray that's happiest in a group and shares a tank well with cownose rays.
Pacific Sardine
Pacific Ocean
Sardine shoals are cheap and fill an open-ocean tank with movement. Their shiny silver scales flash as the shoal turns.
Palette Surgeonfish
Indo-Pacific
A bright reef shoal fish that shares water parameters with clownfish.
Plains Zebra
Africa
Zebras are a reliable grazer for savanna habitats and grassland reserves.
Red Panda
Asia (Himalayas)
Red pandas are one of the few animals that can safely climb above guests, which makes them perfect for overhead bridges and treetop zoos.
Reticulated Giraffe
Africa
Giraffes are a high-tier animal and the 'tall vegetation browser' many African reserves are waiting for.
Sable Antelope
Africa
Sable antelope fill two reserve roles at once. low browser and terrestrial seed disperser. and count as medium prey, which unlocks predators such as hyenas.
Snow Leopard
Central Asia
Snow leopards love height. Multi-level rock work and a high feeder keep them active.
Spotted Hyena
Africa
Hyenas are a matriarchal species, which shapes how you manage breeding.
Springbok
Africa
Springbok are herd animals with a large group range, but only one adult male is allowed per group.
Sumatran Orangutan
Asia
Orangutans need warmth, height and lots of short grass.
Sumatran Tiger
Asia
Tigers are a headline animal that pull guests across the zoo. They want warmth, a swimming hole and a proper den.
Sun Bear
Asia
Sun bears are compact, curious climbers. They are happy in a medium habitat as long as you give them soil underfoot, things to climb and shelter that is genuinely big enough for two.
Toco Toucan
South America
Toucans are perfect for a small indoor South America house. Their bright beaks stand out against green foliage, so guests spot them easily.
West Indian Manatee
Caribbean
Manatees are gentle giants that reward a big, clean river habitat. With underwater viewing paths, a manatee river becomes one of the busiest spots in a zoo.
White-backed Vulture
Africa
Vultures are dramatic in a deep canyon aviary but cannot share space with guests.