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

• Play the first Career scenarios. They teach paths, habitats, staff and money in small steps.
• Start Sandbox with a small plan. A handful of cheap, easy animals makes money faster than one huge exotic habitat.
• Check the Zoopedia before building. Every species lists habitat size, biome, terrain, foliage, water, climbing, enrichment, social group size and temperature needs.
• Build habitats with the correct barrier. Each species has minimum barrier height, grade and climbability requirements. Escaped animals are a disaster.
• Hire keepers and put them in work zones. Keepers need a Keeper Hut near their habitats, with the right food prep for the species.
• Research through your vets and mechanics. Vets research animals (better welfare, enrichment); mechanics research facilities.
• Price things sensibly. Shops and entry prices drive income. The game shows guest reactions to prices.
• Place donation boxes and education boards by habitats with good viewing.
• Build power and water treatment once facilities need it; habitat water gets dirty and needs cleaning.
• 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:

• Entrance, main path, and basic facilities. A drink stall, a food stall, toilets, a few bins and benches near the entrance.
• Two or three exhibits near the entrance. They're cheap and guests like them.
• 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.
• Keeper Hut and staff room tucked out of sight, with a work zone around your first habitats.
• Donation box and education board at the habitat's best viewing spot.
• Power as soon as facilities ask for it.
• Start vet research on your current species to improve welfare and unlock enrichment.
• Second and third habitats once income is positive, grouping them by continent.
• Water Treatment once you have habitats with water.
• 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
• Steam News: Planet Zoo
• Planet Zoo official site
• Wikipedia: Planet Zoo