Planet Zoo Guide - The best tips & tricks

In this guide to Planet Zoo you will learn:

  • How to improve the well-being of your animals
  • What to consider when building your enclosure
  • How to see what is going on in your zoo
  • Why research and finances play a key role

The creators of Jurassic World Evolution () and Planet Coaster are back to bring you another special highlight. The game Planet Zoo is officially released on November 5, 2019 and could already be diligently examined in September thanks to the beta phase. In the realistic zoo simulation, animals can be fed, jobs created and enclosures expanded.

If you take a few tips and tricks into account, you can also ensure even more satisfaction in the animal world. In this guide you will find useful tips for beginners.

Are you always short of money in Planet Zoo? Our Planet Zoo guide to earning quick money will help you out. We also tell you everything about the continents in Planet Zoo and which animal combinations you should avoid in Planet Zoo.

Table of contents:

Planet Zoo: Satisfied animals as a basis

If you play through the tutorial before starting the game, you will notice that satisfied animals are the top priority. If they are unhappy, the mood will permeate the entire zoo. In the "Scenario" game mode, you start with an advanced zoo in the tutorial. This is already occupied with some animals, but must be further developed in the course. In order to give lions, giraffes, zebras & co. more quality of life, toys and employment opportunities can be purchased.

But not every toy is suitable for every animal. A wolf, for example, is happy with a cardboard box, a ball or a scent bag, among other things. The turtle, on the other hand, is satisfied with a dog toy and a sprinkler. In the Planet Zoo menu, filters can be used for suitable product suggestions. To do this, simply select the animal species or the continent.

If you need suitable objects for the bonobo, select the item "Enclosure" at the bottom screen and click on the category "Quality of life objects". Use the filter and the subcategory "Species" to select the bonobo. Ideal objects, especially for this species, are climbing branches, tree trunks, climbing platforms and ramps. Since the Bonobo has a climbing requirement of at least 80m², you should not be too stingy here.

You can use the filter to find the right products for your animal species.

To increase the satisfaction of your animals, the following points should be considered:

  • The enclosure should have a sufficient size for the animal species
  • The animal needs privacy in the form of retreats
  • Employment and companions are particularly important
  • The ground should be suitable for the animal
  • A clean environment as well as sufficient food should be ensured

When buying a grizzly bear, sufficient space should be taken into account. A large enclosure with a shady retreat as well as a partner already lay the foundation. Since the bear prefers soil, snow and some water, the enclosure should be adapted accordingly. For this purpose, hills can be built and water moats can be created in the construction mode. Make sure that the water ditches are not too steep, otherwise it will be difficult for your animals to get out and in the worst case they will drown.

Building the right enclosure in the zoo

The size and condition of the enclosure must not be neglected in the construction. You can choose from a variety of materials. These can be adapted as desired and varied in height. A wolf should therefore have much higher walls than a meerkat. So that the visitors can also see something, additional glass walls should be installed. These provide for a free view of the animal.

In the "Zoopedia" you can inform yourself about the minimum requirements that an enclosure should have. There you will find details about the terrain, water, climbing, boundary as well as temperature requirements. The Bornean orangutan needs at least 780m² of terrain and 120m² of climbing space. The temperature ranges from 8 to 40 degrees. Depending on the continent, you will have to vary. As climbing protection you should pay attention to grade 3. If you do not follow these guidelines, you risk that your animal breaks out or becomes dissatisfied.

Since the enclosure with some walls and some soil and water still looks quite bare, plants should be added. Depending on the animal species and habitat, different trees and bushes should be used. For example, tigers don't like acacia bushes, but love the baobab tree.

Make sure there is no gap in your wall. If you don't close the enclosure completely, you risk animals escaping. This will result in the animals having to be recaptured and visitors being frightened. The zoo's reputation can also suffer from this mistake.

Keeping track with the heat map in Planet Zoo

In a large zoo, it is easy to lose track of the animals. To counteract this, there is the so-called "Heat Map". This is located at the bottom left of the screen and can be activated with just one mouse click. If this is active, you switch to a heat map, which gives you an overview with different colors.

This way you can not only see how happy your animals are, but also which buildings are currently supplied with electricity and what the climate of the individual enclosures is like. If the animals are displayed in the color red, you should call up the menu of the animal by simply clicking on it and act quickly accordingly. The menu will show you what the animal is missing.

The heat map supports you in the area of animals, technology and much more.

So that every animal in the zoo has the right climate, air conditioners can be installed. With the help of these, the temperature is set manually. If you keep a snow leopard in Europe, you should regulate the temperature as low as possible. With the help of the "Heat Map" you can see the areas in the enclosure that are sufficiently cool. Only with a temperature below 0 degrees can snow really stay. Temperatures above 0 degrees will simply melt the snow and the animal will feel uncomfortable.

Tips for research and finances in Planet Zoo

Without the right finances, no new enclosures can be built and no more animals can be bought. To bring in money as quickly as possible, donation boxes can be placed throughout the zoo. If the visitors are satisfied, small amounts are paid in regularly.

Additionally, you can adjust the entrance fee by clicking on the entrance. If your zoo is still comparatively small, prices between $3 and $7 are in the normal range. If the zoo grows and the entertainment value increases, this price can be raised significantly. Snack bars provide additional support. If one of your employees does not do a good job, you can also reduce the salary.

In order for the zoo to be a success, enough time should be spent on research. Keepers and veterinarians can learn peculiarities about the animal and research diseases. The higher the research level of an animal, the happier you can make it. To do this, simply go to the "Zoo" menu item and select "Veterinary research". The more your keepers learn about the animals, the more extensive the information boards in front of the enclosures will be. Once an animal has been fully researched, all the information is also available to zoo visitors. Thanks to these boards, not only the education of the guests increases, but also the evaluation of the zoo.

Under the item "Technology research", buildings, rides and, among other things, solar power can be researched to reduce costs. If you want to quickly become a professional, you should not neglect this area.

General tips for a successful start in Planet Zoo

In addition to the tips already listed, there are plenty of other points you should consider:

  • Build regular staff huts where keepers can prepare the animals' food. This saves long walks and the animal does not have to wait for its food.
  • Start with only one small area in the zoo. If you expand the zoo too quickly, you will run out of budget.
  • Note that each enclosure needs a door and a path to get to it. This is the only way keepers can reach the animal.
  • Make sure you have a good ratio of males to females. If the ratio is not right, the animals will make themselves noticed negatively.
  • Animals usually do not distinguish between different types of terrain. If an animal prefers rock, you can use both smooth and rough rock. Only with grass do animals distinguish between long and short cut.
  • If your enclosure is dirty or the water is murky, the risk of infection in the zoo increases.
  • If your zoo is located on a particularly hot continent or you are in the middle of summer, you should provide plenty of cool drinks for your visitors. These will lift their spirits.
  • You want to have an individual zoo? You can customize the names of all the animals in the game.
  • If you run out of money, you can take out a loan in just a few steps that you have to pay back over an agreed period of time.

When you start a new game, you can choose between Franchise, Career, Challenge and Sandbox.

When you start a new game, you will also have access to 4 different gameplay options:

  • Franchise: In this mode, you can build your zoos around the world and trade your animals online.
  • Career: experience a career in zoo management and discover all the tasks to complete on the spot.
  • Challenge: In this mode you can easily build your zoo offline and use all game currencies and challenges.
  • Sandbox: Always wanted to build a zoo with no restrictions? Now it's possible in Sandbox mode.

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