Franchise mode is the long game. You start with one small zoo, not much money and only cheap animals, and slowly work your way up to accreditation tier 5, where the lions and gorillas are. If you haven't read it yet, the Accreditation guide explains what the tiers are. This page is the route I'd take to get through them.
Phase 1: a cheap, profitable starter zoo
Your first animals are the ones the market sells cheaply: wild boar, Eurasian beaver, common warthog, meerkats, aardvarks, scorpions and other small exhibit species. They aren't glamorous, but they do three important jobs:
- They teach you the welfare system without expensive mistakes.
- They breed fast, which gives you offspring to release for conservation credits.
- They're cheap to run, so the zoo turns a profit early.
Build around a compact entrance with a toilet block, a food shop, a drink shop and an information centre (it sells umbrellas when it rains). Put bins next to every bench. Keep paths short, because walking distance tires guests and every path segment costs money.
Tip: if a shop is losing money, check for an ATM nearby. Broke guests can't buy anything.
Phase 2: three stars and a second location
The first big milestone needs reputation stars and a wildlife reserve. Tier 3 asks for two zoos with three reputation stars and one reserve with a two-star biodiversity rating. That means:
- Opening a second zoo. It can be small and compact. Rebuild your starter species there and send it some of your offspring.
- Opening your first wildlife reserve and releasing groups into it. Each new species released raises biodiversity.
Your reputation rating is a combination of animal husbandry (average welfare and how many animals are thriving), guest education, sustainability (recycling bins, clean power sources), guest experience and species diversity. Open the rating breakdown regularly. It tells you exactly which category is holding you back.
Phase 3: tier 3 animals and conservation credits
Once tier 3 unlocks, the cash-only market opens up: hippos, African leopards, black leopards, siamangs, lynx, grizzly bears, golden eagles and giant groupers. A siamang listed at about $3,000 with an appeal around 4,500 is a typical example of the value on offer.
This is when credits become the bottleneck. Sources:
| Source | Typical reward | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Release groups to a reserve | 50–160+ credits | Best value; also raises biodiversity |
| Quick release | ~10–20 credits per animal | Good for surplus young males |
| Conservation projects | 35–125 credits | Costs cash and lends out staff temporarily |
| Weekly challenge rewards | A rescued animal you can release | e.g. a rescued Asian elephant released for 164 credits |
See Conservation Credits for the full list.
Phase 4: tier 4 and the reserve grind
Tier 4 needs two zoos with four reputation stars and two wildlife reserves at three biodiversity stars. This is where most franchise players stall. Two pieces of advice:
- Pick an easy second reserve. The Scottish Highlands reserve has only 11 species, all easy to breed (wild boar, beavers, owls, lynx, hares, small fish). Starting a European zoo just to feed it is a popular strategy. The Sweden reserve is also considered easy.
- Respect food chains. Predators can't be released until their prey is present. Hyenas need medium prey such as sable antelope, and African leopards needed giraffes in the reserve first.
Phase 5: tier 5
Tier 5 asks for two reserves with five-star biodiversity and a zoo with a five-star reputation. By now you're juggling:
- Releasing one new species after another until each reserve's ecosystems are "prosperous" and species diversity is high.
- Getting the zoo's thriving percentage up. One five-star push stalled at about 43% thriving and needed research plus thriving requirements on several species.
- Clearing crowding at the entrance, which quietly drags down guest satisfaction.
Cash flow habits that keep a franchise zoo alive
- Train vendors: trained vendors earn more per shop.
- Add donation bins beside every education board.
- Raise ticket prices gradually and watch guest thoughts for "overpriced" or "underpriced".
- Run marketing campaigns on headline animals, then stop them when the season's budget is spent.
- Take a low loan early rather than selling animals in a panic. See Economy.
Using the shared market well
The franchise market is shared and refreshes constantly, roughly every few seconds. Good habits:
- Filter by cash only to avoid spending credits on common animals.
- Sort by appeal, then check individual traits. Avoid animals with any trait below about 25%, especially immunity, fertility and longevity.
- Buy from different sources to avoid related pairs.
- If you can't find a female, wait a few refreshes rather than settling for 0% fertility.