Education is a full star category in your zoo rating, it raises donations, and it's one of the easier categories to max out once you know the tools.
Education tools
| Item | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Habitat education boards | Screens showing a species topic (fact sheet, diet, evolution, behaviour) | Needs power. Must be close enough to its target habitat |
| Conservation boards | Topics such as habitat loss, poaching and the exotic pet trade, pollution, climate change | Many topics are unlocked by research |
| Speakers | Play ecosystem ambience linked to a species | Count as education and add atmosphere |
| Animal talk point | An educator gives scheduled talks | Set the species, season and time slot |
| Vista point | Draws guests to a viewpoint | Set its item focus to a habitat |
| Interactive kids' items | Height charts, lift-the-flap boards, photo boards | Make plazas lively |
| Talking display stands | Standalone information stands | Useful where a board won't fit |
The "too far from target" rule
Education items are tied to a target habitat or exhibit. If you place one too far away you'll get "Education item is too far from target." Distance is measured from the habitat's staff gate area, so a board on the far side of a big habitat may fail. Move it closer to the gate side, or choose a different species.
Topics per species
The education management view shows coverage per species, for example yellow anaconda 3/5, toco toucan 4/5. Fill every species with a full set of topics:
- Name plate / fact sheet
- Diet (herbivore, carnivore, pescatarian)
- Evolution (mammal, bird, reptile)
- Behaviour (diurnal, nocturnal)
- Conservation threat (habitat loss, overexploitation, infectious disease, genetic bottlenecks and more)
- Ecosystem ambience via a speaker
Conservation topics are researched
Conservation boards draw from a list of threats you unlock through research: amphibian extinction crisis, population fragmentation, bee population decline, pollution, food scarcity, habitat loss, genetic bottlenecks, infectious disease and climate change. Each topic links to specific species, so match the board to an animal that's actually in that habitat.
Animal talks
Place an education point, assign an educator and choose the species. Talks run on a schedule by season and time of day (dry season 1 morning, wet season 1 afternoon and so on). One educator can't cover many talk points, so hire more as you add them.
Vista points and kids' items
A vista point is a viewing spot that pulls guests towards it. Set its focus to a habitat and guests will wander over to look. Interactive kids' items like height charts and lift-the-flap boards make plazas feel lively and add a bit more education.
How the education rating is calculated
Guest education blends two numbers:
- The average education of your most-educated guests (49% in an early zoo).
- How many relevant education topics are placed for the animals you keep (67% in the same zoo).
Adding a handful of extra topic boards was enough to lift that zoo from 2.5 to 3 stars.
Design tips
- Hang boards on poles or cables away from walls. It reads as real zoo signage.
- Keep big screens out of underwater tunnels; put them at the entrance so the tunnel stays immersive.
- Group boards with benches. Guests sit, read and then donate.
- Custom images: you can design your own board graphics in an external editor and display them in game.
Education layouts that work
- Entrance board, immersive inside: put a big sign and a cluster of boards at the start of a tunnel or walk-through, so the tunnel itself is pure animal viewing.
- The education hub: a long wall opposite a big aquarium window, with one board per species on metal poles, speakers in between, a row of benches and donation boxes. Guests sit, watch, learn and donate.
- Talk + bench + shade: an animal talk point next to the habitat, with benches under an umbrella or canopy.
- Kids' corner: height charts, photo boards and interactive items in a little circle of path with a tree in the middle.
When education isn't going up
If you've placed lots of boards but the score won't move:
- Check the education coverage per species. Missing topics might be on a species you forgot.
- Check boards have power.
- Check for "too far from target" warnings.
- Look for litter and crowding near the education area, which can count against it.
- Make sure an educator is assigned to each talk point.