Store Page
Planet Zoo
All Discussions Screenshots Artwork Broadcasts Videos Workshop News Guides Reviews

Planet Zoo

Store Page
Planet Zoo > Guides > ggeorlett1's Guides
Not enough ratings
Tropical Pack Animals Guide
By ggeorlett1
A guide to all the animals in the DLC Pack (4 Habitat Animal + 1 Exhibit Animal = 5 Animals Altogether)
Completed
   
Award
Favorite
Favorited
Unfavorite
Created by
ggeorlett1
Offline
Category: Walkthroughs
Posted
Updated
8 Oct, 2024 @ 5:31am
28 Nov, 2024 @ 5:32am
6 Unique Visitors
0 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
Asian Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) 
Brown-Throated Sloth (Bradypus variegatus) 
Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) 
Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar) 
Red River Hog (Potamochoerus porcus) 
Comments
Asian Water Monitor (Varanus salvator)
Taxonomy
  • Class: Reptilia
  • Order: Squamata
  • Family: Varanidae
  • Genus: Varanus

General
  • Population in the Wild: Unknown
  • The Asian water monitor (or Varanus salvator) is a large reptile native to the rainforests, swamps, and mangrove forests throughout much of the warmer areas of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is dark green to black in coloration, with pale brown and yellow reticulated markings across its whole body. These reticulations often appear as bands on the tail. The Asian water monitor displays sexual dimorphism, with males being larger. Male monitors measure 5ft to 6.6ft in length, and weigh between 11lb and 110lb, averaging at 44lb, while females measure 4ft to 5.9ft in length and weigh 4.4lb to 48.4lb.

    Asian water monitors are not endangered and are classed as a species of Least Concern, however they are considered to be a protected species in Nepal and Hong Kong. Their skin is commonly used in the leather trade, and they are hunted for their meat and eggs for human consumption. Habitat loss and hunting pressure may contribute to localized declines in mature populations, though overall, the Asian water monitor is a common animal in its range.

Gameplay
  • Interactivity: Full


Origins
  • Continent: Asia
  • Regions: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei
  • ICUN Status: Least Concern

Habitat
  • Fence Grade: 2> 3.3ft​
  • Land Area: 3014ft​
  • Water Area: 0ft​
  • Climbing Area: 0ft​
  • Temperature: 54-108°F​
  • Biomes:​ Tropical, Grasslands, Aquatic
  • Can Guest Enter Habitat:​
  • Can Guests Interact:
  • Relations With Humans: Confident​

Social
  • Asian water monitors are solitary animals and prefer to be alone.
  • Group Size:​ 1‒2 (up to one male, up to one female)
  • Male Bachelor:​ 1
  • Female Bachelor:​ 1

Reproduction
  • During the breeding season, which lasts from April to October, male Asian water monitors are extremely territorial. They aggressively defend their territory from other males, with frequent violent fights consisting of biting and tail whips. Larger males are more likely to mate, as their size and strength offers an advantage when fighting rivals. The owner of a territory will track all females moving through it, and will mate with all who are receptive.

    Roughly 30 to 45 days after copulation, the female will lay 10 to 40 eggs in a rotting log, a burrow in the riverbank, or a termite nest. 6 to 7 months later, the eggs will hatch. Asian water monitors are independent from the point of hatching and must fend for themselves. As generalist predators, the hatchlings eat a lot and grow rapidly.

    Male Asian water monitors reach sexual maturity after achieving a body length of 3.3ft, while females reach sexual maturity at a body length of 20in. Generally, this happens around 2 years of age. At 3 years old, the metabolic and growth rates of Asian water monitors slow; however, they grow throughout their whole lives.
  • Difficulty: ​Easy (Promiscuous)
  • Maturity:​ 3 years
  • Sterility: ​Death
  • Gestation/Incubation:​ 8 months
  • Interbirth:​ 24 months

Food
  • Tier 1:​ Rodents
  • Tier 2:​ Amphibians
  • Tier 3:​ Eggs

Feeding Stations
  • Food Tray
  • Water Bowl
  • Water Pipe
  • Underwater Fish Feeder

Food Enrichment
  • Frozen Blood Pumpkin
  • Dog Ball
  • Bamboo Feeder
  • Restraint Feeder
  • Underwater Fish Feeder

Habitat Enrichment
  • Blood Scent Marker
  • Water Jet (Water Jet Rock)
  • Prey-Scented Sack
  • Rubber Duck
  • Rubbing Pad (Rubbing Pad Bark)
  • Small Ball (Small Ice Ball, Small Ball Colorful, Small Ball Pumpkin)
  • Sprinkler
  • Platform Floats

Compatible Animals
None

Zoopidia Fun Facts
  • The Asian water monitor can hold its breath for up to 30 minutes.
  • The Asian water monitor is one of the heaviest species of lizards, second only to the Komodo Dragon.
  • Asian water monitors can dislocate the hyoid bone in their neck, so they can swallow large chunks of food without chewing.
  • The bite of the Asian water monitor is very strong and mildly venomous due to the presence of venom glands. While the bite is reportedly very painful, the venom is not lethal to humans.
  • Asian water monitors are known to dig up graves in search of food.
Brown-Throated Sloth (Bradypus variegatus)
Taxonomy
  • Class:​ Mammalia
  • Order:​ Pilosa
  • Family: ​Bradypodidae
  • Genus:​ Bradypus

General
  • Population in the Wild: Unknown
  • The brown-throated sloth (or Bradypus variegatus) is an arboreal mammal living in the rainforests of Central and South America. It is pale grey to brown in color, has long gangly limbs, longer arms than legs, and no tail. The sloth has three long claws on both of its hands and feet, although the front claws are significantly longer. The brown-throated sloth has a round head with inconspicuous ears and dark brown markings going laterally from the eyes to the side of the head. Males and females mostly look the same, with the only difference being the male's distinctly patterned patch on its back. They measure 24in in length on average, and weigh 7.7lb to 11.4lb.

    Brown-Throated sloths are are a species of Least Concern due to their widespread distribution across their habitat. However, they face pressure due to deforestation and human development, and their population numbers are declining.

Gameplay
  • Interactivity: Walkthrough Exhibit

Origins
  • Continent:​ South America, Central America
  • Regions:​ Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil
  • ICUN Status: ​Least Concern

Exhibit
  • Temperature: 70-90°F​
  • Biomes: Tropical
​

Social
  • The brown-throated sloth is solitary in the wild. Adults only spend time together to mate.
  • Group Size: 1-6

Reproduction
  • Little information is known about the breeding season of brown-throated sloths. The duration may vary based on the location, but it's likely to take place between January and March in the Northern part of its range, just at the beginning of the rainy season. A female sloth vocalizes with screams to attract males and usually mates with the first male that responds to her call. He will join the female in her tree, where they will mate. Copulation lasts 10 to 15 minutes, and the male leaves immediately afterwards in search of other females.

    After a pregnancy of 7 to 8 months, the female gives birth to one infant. After birth, she carries it around on her stomach. For the first 2 months of its life, the baby is nursed, and then begins to eat solid food as well. It may lick traces of food from its mother's mouth to learn which leaves are edible. At 4 months of age, it is fully weaned and independent.

    Young female brown-throated sloths reach sexual maturity at around 3 years of age, while males become sexually mature at 4 years old on average.
  • Difficulty: ​Average (Polygynous)
  • Maturity:​ 4 years
  • Sterility: ​Death
  • Gestation/Incubation:​ 8 months
  • Interbirth:​ 12 months

Food
  • Tough Leaves

Exhibit Enrichments
  • Food Bowl
  • Browse Holder
  • Water Dish
  • Climbing Post
  • Basking Light
  • Hanging Chair
  • Sloth Nest

Zoopedia Fun Facts​
  • Brown-throated sloths can rotate their head 300 degrees similar to an owl.
  • Brown-throated sloths have a very slow metabolism, as such, they rely on the heat of the sun to regulate their body temperature, unlike most mammals.
  • The fur of the brown-throated sloth contains a unique symbiotic ecosystem of algae and fungi. Some of these are antibacterial, anti-parasitic, and anti-carcinogenic.
  • The brown-throated sloth only comes to the ground once every 8 days to defecate. Researchers are still determining why sloths do this.
  • Brown-throated sloths eat very tough, nutrient-poor leaves. They have multi-chambered stomachs, similar to that of ruminants like cows, that allows them to ferment and break down this material for more efficient digestion.
Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox)
Taxonomy
  • Class: Mammalia
  • Order: Carnivora
  • Family: Eupleridae
  • Genus: Cryptoprocta

General
  • Population in the Wild: 2,600 - 8,600
  • The fossa (or Cryptoprocta ferox) is a large mammal found in the forests of the island of Madagascar. It belongs to the family of Eupleridae, the Madagascan carnivores, of which the fossa is the largest. Mostly arboreal, the fossa has a long and slender cat-like build, with a tail almost as long as its body. Its fur is uniformly tan-brown. The fossa has rounded ears, a round nose, and yellow eyes resembling that of a cat. Males and females look alike, and are between 24.4in to 32in long, with the tail adding another 24in to 30in. Fossas weigh 11lb to 19.8lb.

    The fossa is considered a Vulnerable species, previously classified as Endangered. They are threatened by habitat destruction and fragmentation due to human land use, and they are also hunted because they prey on poultry livestock. The latter problem is amplified by habitat loss driving fossas to seek prey closer to human settlements. Conservationists are aiming to introduce protection methods that financially incentivize locals to conserve the fossa.

Gameplay
  • Interactivity: Full


Origins
  • Continent: Africa
  • Regions: Madagascar
  • ICUN Status: Vulnerable

Habitat
  • Fence Grade: 2 Climb Proof> 9.9ft​
  • Land Area: 2906ft​
  • Water Area: 0ft​
  • Climbing Area: 431ft​
  • Temperature: 54-108°F​
  • Biomes:​ Tropical
  • Can Guests Enter Habitat:​ No
  • Can Guests Interact: No
  • Relations With Humans:​ Shy

Social
  • Fossas are solitary in the wild, with the exception of a mother and her cubs.
  • Group Size:​ 1‒2 (up to one male, up to one female)
  • Male Bachelor:​ 1
  • Female Bachelor:​ 1

Reproduction
  • The fossa's mating season usually takes place from September to October. In fossas, females appear to be the ones selecting a mate, which is unusual among carnivores. She chooses a mating site, often in a tree near a water source, and selects her mate from a group of up to 8 males who have gathered at her site. The males stay near the receptive female, vying for her attention by howling and fighting with each other. The female is likely to mate with multiple males, each copulation taking approximately 3 hours, and she will stay in her mating tree for several days.

    Following a pregnancy of roughly 3 months, the female fossa searches for a hidden area such as an abandoned den, a rock crevice, or a termite nest to give birth. Litter size can vary from 1 to 6 cubs, but litters between 2 to 4 are most common. Fossas are born blind and without teeth or hair. After 2 weeks, they open their eyes, and at 3 months, they begin eating solid food. At 4.5 months, the juveniles leave the den for the first time.

    Fossa cubs are independent from their mother's care by the time they are a year old, but often remain close to her until they are fully grown, at around 2 years old. By this time, the mother is ready to mate again and the cubs will disperse. The cubs themselves reach sexual maturity between 3 to 4 years old.
  • Difficulty: ​Difficult (Polyandrous)
  • Maturity:​ 4 years
  • Sterility: ​Death
  • Gestation/Incubation:​ 3 months
  • Interbirth:​ 23 months

Food
  • Tier 1:​ Processed Meat
  • Tier 2:​ Whole Carcass and Supplements
  • Tier 3:​ Kibble

Feeding Stations
  • Food Tray
  • Water Bowl
  • Water Pipe
  • Water Trough

Food Enrichment
  • Frozen Blood Pumpkin
  • Skittle Feeder
  • Bamboo Feeder
  • Piñata Zebra (Piñata Pronghorn)

Habitat Enrichment
  • Cardboard Box (Gift Box)
  • Blood Scent Marker
  • Rubber Duck
  • Rubbing Pad (Rubbing Pad Bark)
  • Small Ball (Small Ice Ball, Small Ball Colorful, Small Ball Pumpkin)
  • Tennis Ball

Compatible Animals
None

Zoopidia Fun Facts
  • Fossas are unique among carnivores in that they use a polyandrous mating system, where one female will control a territory and mate with multiple males.
  • Fossas are the largest carnivores that live on Madagascar.
  • Fossas mostly prey on lemurs, which make up 50% of their diet.
  • Fossas climb down trees head first in a similar way to squirrels.
  • Fossas are a member of the Eupleridae family, whose closest relative is the continental African mongoose. They are thought to have evolved to be very large due to becoming an isolated population on Madagascar 21 million years ago.
Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar)
Taxonomy
  • Class: Mammalia
  • Order: Primates
  • Family: Hylobatidae
  • Genus: Hylobates

General
  • Population in the Wild: 15,000 - 20,000
  • The lar gibbon (or Hylobates lar), also known as the white-handed gibbon, is a primate that lives in the rainforests of Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. The fur of this animal can vary from dark brown to ginger, tan, or cream in coloration. Its face is black, with a distinct white ring of hair around it. Its hands and feet are also white. Male and female lar gibbons look alike, have a head-body length 16.8in to 23.6in, and weigh between 8.8lb 16.7lb.

    Lar gibbons are Endangered, primarily due to habitat loss through deforestation for agricultural development. However, they are also hunted for their meat and for the illegal pet trade. Many areas in their native range have been designated as protected conservation zones to combat these issues.

Gameplay
  • Interactivity: Full


Origins
  • Continent: Asia
  • Regions: Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, China
  • ICUN Status: Endangered

Habitat
  • Fence Grade: 2 Climb Proof> 13.1ft​
  • Land Area: 2476ft​
  • Water Area: 0ft​
  • Climbing Area: 646ft​
  • Temperature: 54-108°F​
  • Biomes:​ Tropical
  • Can Guests Enter Habitat: No
  • Can Guests Interact​: No
  • Relations With Humans: Confident​

Social
  • Lar gibbons live in family groups, which are led by a monogamous breeding pair with their young offspring. Usually, 2 to 3 juveniles remain with the parents at any one time. Lar gibbons are social animals and generally do not live alone.
  • Group Size:​ 2‒6 (up to 5 males, up to 5 females)
  • Male Bachelor:​ 2‒6
  • Female Bachelor:​ 2‒6

Reproduction
  • Lar gibbons leave their family group when reaching sexual maturity, and search for a mate and territory to start their own family. Through songs and calls, they attempt to attract the opposite sex. Generally, lar gibbons mate for life, however, extra-pair or polyandrous mating behaviours have also been observed. Before forming a lifelong monogamous bond with a mate of the opposite sex, young gibbons may engage in promiscuous or homosexual behaviours. When a young male and female lar gibbon meet, they will take time getting to know each other and begin vocalising together in what is called 'dueting' behaviour. If they bond successfully, they spend more and more time together, and if not, they go their separate ways to find a different mate. Similar to humans, lar gibbons go through oestrus every 4 weeks, all year round. They mate throughout the year, but will do so more frequently if the female is receptive, which is indicated by swellings on her hindquarters. While births can happen year round, there is a peak in successful conceptions in March.

    After a pregnancy of 7 months, the female gives birth to one baby. In this species, the mother is the exclusive caregiver. For the first 4 to 6 months of its life, the infant is nursed an carried around by its mother. She then carries it around less and less, and it begins eating solid food, before becoming fully weaned by 2 years old. By this time, the mother is likely to get pregnant again. At 3 years old, the infant is rarely assisted anymore. Instead, it will care for its younger sibling, who the mother will have now given birth to.

    Lar gibbons reach sexual maturity between 6 to 9 years of age and will slowly distance themselves from their family group over this time. Eventually, they leave their family group entirely to form their own. Males may begin reproducing at this age if they find a mate, however, females are unlikely to reproduce until they are 11 years old.
  • Difficulty: ​Easy (Monogamous)
  • Maturity:​ 9 years
  • Sterility: ​30 years
  • Gestation/Incubation:​ 7 months
  • Interbirth:​ 24 months

Food
  • Tier 1:​ Monkey Chow
  • Tier 2:​ Fruit, Leaves, and Vegetables
  • Tier 3:​ Eggs

Feeding Stations
  • Arboreal Feeding Platform
  • Water Bowl
  • Water Pipe
  • Water Trough

Food Enrichment
  • Block of Frozen Fruit
  • Forage Box
  • Suspended Forager
  • Tree Forager
  • Artificial Termite Mound
  • Fruit Spike Tree

Habitat Enrichment
  • Block of Ice
  • Bobbin (Bobbin Drum)
  • Curio Ball
  • Mirror Mobile
  • Musical Keyboard
  • Rubber Duck
  • Small Ball (Small Ice Ball, Small Ball Colorful, Small Ball Pumpkin)
  • Sprinkler

Compatible Animals
  • Asian Small-Clawed Otter
  • Bornean Orangutan
  • Siamang

Zoopidia Fun Facts
  • Like other gibbons, the lar gibbon is mostly arboreal and moves between the trees by swinging from branch to branch, a locomotion method known as brachiation.
  • The lar gibbon can leap forward up to 29.5ft in one brachiating jump.
  • The lar gibbon is the fastest gibbon, moving through the trees at up to 30mph.
  • The lar gibbon is the most active species of gibbon, spending 74% of their time feeding, traveling, and socializing, and only 26% of their time sleeping.
  • Lar gibbon families engage in duets and song, using vocalizations and threats to defend their group and territory.
Red River Hog (Potamochoerus porcus)
Taxonomy
  • Class: Mammalia
  • Order: Artiodactyla
  • Family: Suidae
  • Genus: Potamochoerus

General
  • Population in the Wild: Unknown
  • Native to the rivers, lakes and marshes of Western and Central Africa, the red river hog (or Potamochoerus porcus) is a small member of the pig family. It has striking red fur across its body, with a black face, legs, tail and ears. The ears are adorned with long black and white tufts. Down their backs, red river hogs have a wispy, white line of hair. Their facial features and ears are surrounded by coarse white fur. They are sexually dimorphic, with males being generally larger and heavier than females, and having a wider skull with bony protrusions and long whiskers along the face. Red river hogs measure between 40in and 60in in head-body length, stand 20in to 32in tall at the shoulder, and weigh 99lb to 253lb.

    The red river hog is considered a species of Least Concern, however, their population numbers are decreasing. They are a protected species in almost all national parks across their range.

Gameplay
  • Interactivity: Full


Origins
  • Continent: Africa
  • Regions: Senegal, The Gambia, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Angola, Rwanda, Burundi
  • ICUN Status: Least Concern

Habitat
  • Fence Grade: 2> 4.1ft​
  • Land Area: 3229ft​
  • Water Area: 0ft​
  • Climbing Area: 0ft​
  • Temperature: 46-108°F​
  • Biomes:​ Tropical, Grassland, Aquatic
  • Can Guests Enter Habitat:​ No
  • Can Guests Interact: No
  • Relations With Humans: Confident​

Social
  • Red river hogs are very social and usually live in family groups of 3 to 10 individuals, although groups of up to 30 are possible if enough resources are available. These groups consist of a dominant male, his females, and their offspring. Occasionally, individuals may also live alone for parts of their lives.
  • Group Size: ​2‒10 (up to 1 male, up to 9 females)
  • Male Bachelor:​ 2‒6
  • Female Bachelor:​ 2‒10

Reproduction
  • Male red river hogs viciously fight over territory and females in their harems. Using their scent glands, red river hogs mark their territory on trees and track nearby individuals. During the breeding season, which lasts from November to February, males will mate with the females in their harems, so that the offspring is born at the beginning of the wet season, when plenty of resources are available.

    Pregnancy in red river hogs lasts 120 days, after which the sow builds a nest of grass and leaves to give birth to a litter of 1 to 6 piglets, usually 3 or 4. The young begin eating solid food and foraging with their mother at 3 to 10 days old, and are fully weaned at by 4 months old.

    Red river hogs reach sexual maturity at 3 years of age, at which point the dominant male of the group begins acting aggressively towards them to encourage them to leave the family group. The offspring may spend some time alone before before joining or forming an unrelated harem.
  • Difficulty: Very Easy (Polygynous)
  • Maturity:​ 3 years
  • Sterility: ​Death
  • Gestation/Incubation:​ 4 months
  • Interbirth:​ 24 months

Food
  • Tier 1:​ Hay
  • Tier 2:​ Fruit, Leaves and Vegetables
  • Tier 3:​ High Fiber Biscuits

Feeding Stations
  • Food Trough
  • Water Bowl
  • Water Pipe
  • Water Trough

Food Enrichment
  • Small Barrel Feeder
  • Forage Box
  • Fruit Spike Tree
  • Melon Feeder
  • Veggie Jelly Cake

Habitat Enrichment
  • Cardboard Box (Gift Box)
  • Sprinkler
  • Wind Chimes
  • Herb Scent Marker
  • Rubbing Pillar
  • Mud Bath
  • Scratching Tree (Scots Pine & Tamarind)

Compatible Animals
  • African Buffalo
  • Bongo
  • Bonobo
  • Hippopotamus
  • Mandrill
  • Nile Lechwe
  • Okapi
  • Pygmy Hippo
  • Western Chimpanzee
  • Western Lowland Gorilla

Zoopidia Fun Facts
  • Red river hogs are the smallest African member of the pig family.
  • The red river hog has scent glands around its eyes, feet and tusks that it uses to scent-mark.
  • Like most pigs, red river hogs are omnivores and will eat meat if given the opportunity, mostly in the form of small animal carcasses.
  • Red river hogs are known to follow foraging chimpanzees in order to pick up the food they drop.
  • The piglets of the red river hog will play dead if frightened, but when they get older they will abandon this survival strategy and simply run away.