---
title: "Planet Zoo: Complete Guide"
game: "Planet Zoo"
game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/planet-zoo"
author: "Qloud"
author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud"
topics: ["Builds"]
summary: "A guide to building a profitable, high-welfare zoo in Planet Zoo: the game modes, how animal welfare works, habitat design rules, staff and research, money and guest happiness, and the mistakes that crash new zoos.…"
url: "https://qna.gg/g/planet-zoo-complete-guide-c81a43d7"
published: "2026-09-27T17:04:19.182Z"
updated: "2026-09-27T17:04:19.182Z"
source: "QnA.GG"
---

# Planet Zoo: Complete Guide

A guide to building a profitable, high-welfare zoo in Planet Zoo: the game modes, how animal welfare works, habitat design rules, staff and research, money and guest happiness, and the mistakes that crash new zoos. Includes a note on where the game stands now that Planet Zoo 2 is weeks away.

*Researched September 2026 — current as of Update 1.20.2 (28 May 2026). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.*

## Where the Game Is Now

- **Update 1.20.2** (28 May 2026) gave PC players nine free sculptures (bird, animal and fish sculptures) and stability fixes. It's the latest patch.
- **Planet Zoo 2 launches 13 October 2026.** It adds fully aquatic species, flying birds in aviaries, and Wildlife Reserves. It's a separate game; Planet Zoo 1 stays playable with all its DLC.
- The base game has 76 species; DLC packs take the total to about 210. Every pack adds animals plus themed scenery, and none are needed to learn the systems in this guide.
- If you're buying now, Planet Zoo 1 is still a complete, deep game with years of Workshop content. If you mostly want aquatic animals or free-flying birds, wait for Planet Zoo 2.

## Quick Start

1. **Play the first Career scenarios.** They teach paths, habitats, staff and money in small steps.
2. **Start Sandbox with a small plan.** A handful of cheap, easy animals makes money faster than one huge exotic habitat.
3. **Check the Zoopedia before building.** Every species lists habitat size, biome, terrain, foliage, water, climbing, enrichment, social group size and temperature needs.
4. **Build habitats with the correct barrier.** Each species has minimum barrier height, grade and climbability requirements. Escaped animals are a disaster.
5. **Hire keepers and put them in work zones.** Keepers need a Keeper Hut near their habitats, with the right food prep for the species.
6. **Research through your vets and mechanics.** Vets research animals (better welfare, enrichment); mechanics research facilities.
7. **Price things sensibly.** Shops and entry prices drive income. The game shows guest reactions to prices.
8. **Place donation boxes and education boards** by habitats with good viewing.
9. **Build power and water treatment** once facilities need it; habitat water gets dirty and needs cleaning.
10. **Don't over-expand.** Money is tight early; one new habitat at a time.

## Game Modes

| Mode | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Career | Guided scenarios with a story; the best tutorial |
| Sandbox | Unlimited money, all animals; creative building |
| Challenge | Sandbox rules but with money, research and a real economy |
| Franchise | Online shared economy, Conservation Credits (CC), and the Animal Market between players |

**Franchise** is the only mode that uses the shared online market: several zoos share one economy and animal population. You earn **Conservation Credits** by releasing animals to the wild and through community conservation challenges, and spend them on animals instead of cash. Many players stick with Challenge for an offline economy game.

## Animal Welfare

Each animal's welfare depends on:

| Need | What it looks at |
|---|---|
| Habitat size | Land area, water area, climbing area |
| Biome and terrain | Correct continent/biome plants, terrain paint types (grass, soil, sand, rock, snow, etc.) |
| Foliage | Percentage of vegetation, plus the right plants |
| Temperature | Correct range; add heaters or coolers if needed |
| Social | Group size, sex ratio, and dominance |
| Enrichment | Species-specific enrichment items and food variety |
| Privacy | Shelter and areas away from guests |
| Food and water | Keeper feeding, correct diet, drinking water source |
| Health | Vet care; illnesses and injuries |
| Stress | Guest noise, crowding, conflicts |

**Welfare icons:** The habitat panel shows green (good), amber (warning) and red (bad). Fix the red ones first, then the amber.

## Habitat Design Rules

- **Barrier first.** Check the Zoopedia for barrier grade, height, and whether the species can climb or jump. Use one-way glass for viewing.
- **Size:** The Zoopedia lists land area per group plus per extra animal. Leave room for babies.
- **Terrain paint:** Terrain type matters. Paint in the right ratio for the species (the habitat panel shows whether it's met).
- **Foliage:** Use the correct continent and biome plants. Foliage percentage is a welfare stat, not decoration.
- **Water:** Most species need a drinking source. Some need deep water to swim. Water quality drops over time; build a Water Treatment Facility.
- **Shelter:** Add shelters sized for your group.
- **Gates and hatches:** Staff enter through gates; animals need transport crates to arrive.
- **Viewing:** Guests love habitats with good sightlines and viewing windows. Education boards and speakers raise guest education.

### Exhibits

Small animals (reptiles, insects, amphibians) live in **exhibits**, which are indoor tanks. Exhibits need correct temperature and humidity settings and are cheap early income.

## Staff

| Staff | Job |
|---|---|
| Keeper | Feeds animals, cleans habitats and exhibits |
| Vet | Treats animals, researches species |
| Mechanic | Fixes facilities, researches buildings |
| Security | Stops guest vandalism and crime |
| Caretaker | Cleans paths and empties bins (the game's janitor role) |
| Vendor | Runs shops |
| Educator | Talks to guests about animals, raises education |

- **Work zones:** Assign staff to a zone so keepers don't walk across the map. Put a Keeper Hut with the right food prep inside each zone.
- **Staff rooms:** Staff need somewhere to rest. Happy staff work faster.
- **Training:** You can train staff to improve their skills; better staff cost more.

## Money and Guests

- **Income:** Entry fees, shops (food, drink, merchandise), donation boxes and paid rides such as transport.
- **Costs:** Staff wages, research, animal purchases, power and water.
- **Guest happiness:** Guests want bins, toilets, benches, food and drink, and pleasant scenery. Crowded paths make them unhappy.
- **Transport:** Transport rides move guests around large zoos and earn money.
- **Education:** Good educational boards near habitats raise zoo rating.
- **Zoo rating:** Stars combine animal welfare, guest happiness, conservation and education.

## Opening Build Order (Challenge Mode)

A reliable order for a new Challenge zoo:

1. **Entrance, main path, and basic facilities.** A drink stall, a food stall, toilets, a few bins and benches near the entrance.
2. **Two or three exhibits** near the entrance. They're cheap and guests like them.
3. **One affordable, low-maintenance habitat** (hoofed species such as the Common Warthog or Plains Zebra are common choices in the base game). Check its Zoopedia page before building.
4. **Keeper Hut and staff room** tucked out of sight, with a work zone around your first habitats.
5. **Donation box and education board** at the habitat's best viewing spot.
6. **Power** as soon as facilities ask for it.
7. **Start vet research** on your current species to improve welfare and unlock enrichment.
8. **Second and third habitats** once income is positive, grouping them by continent.
9. **Water Treatment** once you have habitats with water.
10. **Expand shops** along the busiest paths, then transport as the zoo grows.

Keep an eye on the finance panel: if monthly profit is falling, stop building and fix prices, staff or welfare first.

## Breeding and Conservation

- Healthy, happy animals breed. Keep correct sex ratios and room for offspring.
- **Contraception:** Available per animal if you don't want more babies.
- **Release to the wild:** Returns animals to the wild and raises your zoo's conservation rating (releasing endangered species counts most). In Franchise it also earns Conservation Credits. Several Career scenarios set release goals.
- **Genetics:** Animals have genes that affect size, longevity, fertility and immunity. Breeding for good genes gives stronger offspring.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- **Building one massive habitat first.** It drains money before income arrives.
- **Mixing incompatible species.** Some species fight or kill each other. The Zoopedia lists which can cohabit.
- **Forgetting water treatment.** Dirty water causes illness and bad welfare.
- **Too many keepers walking long distances.** Work zones and a nearby Keeper Hut fix this.
- **Barriers too low.** Animals escape, guests panic, and you lose rating.
- **Ignoring power.** Many facilities need electricity; build generators.

## Advanced Tips

- **Group habitats by continent** so you can reuse plants and terrain and keep keeper zones tight.
- **Use habitat templates and the Workshop.** The Steam Workshop has thousands of blueprints and habitats.
- **Hide staff routes and huts** behind scenery with staff-only paths so guests don't see backstage areas.
- **Watch vet research first:** early vet research unlocks welfare improvements and new species.
- **Balance price vs visitors:** raising entry price slowly while watching guest counts gives more stable income.

## FAQ

**Is Planet Zoo 2 replacing Planet Zoo?**
No. Planet Zoo 2 is a separate game launching 13 October 2026. Planet Zoo 1 remains playable with its DLC and the Workshop.

**What's the latest Planet Zoo update?**
Update 1.20.2 (28 May 2026), which added nine free sculpture scenery pieces and stability fixes.

**Why won't my animals breed?**
Check welfare, group size, sex ratio, and whether contraception is enabled.

**How do I make money early?**
Start with cheap, easy species, add shops, donation boxes and exhibits, and keep entry prices reasonable.

**What is Franchise mode?**
An online economy mode with Conservation Credits and a player-to-player Animal Market.

**Why is my water dirty?**
Habitat water gets dirty over time. Build enough Water Treatment capacity for your habitat water bodies (the habitat panel shows water quality) and keep it powered.

## Sources

- [Planet Zoo on Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/703080/Planet_Zoo/)
- [Steam News: Planet Zoo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/703080)
- [Planet Zoo official site](https://www.planetzoogame.com/)
- [Wikipedia: Planet Zoo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Zoo)