research planet zoo

Planet Zoo – Research Guide

Research is critical and that’s why it’s getting its own information.

What is Research?

If you are in Sandbox Mode then you probably don’t have to worry about this. Research is the most critical column to creating a good zoo. There are two types of research:

Veterinary Research

– For every vet you have is every research you can do. Vets can research a specific animal or a specific medical  thing  like a virus, bacteria, or condition.

– Researching an animal will provide new enrichment, nutrition, and more.

– Researching a medical topic thing will provide better diagnosis, treatment, and pharmacology (it’ll help when your animals get sick)

Mechanic Research

– For every mechanic you have is every research you can do. Mechanics can research a specific theme or a specific construction  thing  like habitats, barriers, or food shops.

– Researching things like habitats, barriers or food shops will yield blueprints, extra objects, and more.

– Researching themes will yield scenery and blueprints to that respective theme.

He is the founder and editor of Magic Game World. He loved gaming from the moment he got a PlayStation 1 with Gran Turismo on his 7th birthday.

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Planet Zoo is a zoo simulation game developed and published by British developer Frontier Developments. It was released on November 5th, 2019.

The Planet Zoo Wiki is a collaborative resource about Planet Zoo that anyone can edit. We are currently editing 740 articles and hosting 3,268 files , and you can help!

Notable Planet Zoo News

Eurasia Animal DLC!

Read more >

Oceania DLC!

The wolverine.

A look at a truly gluttonous beast,

The North Island Brown Kiwi!

An extra look at a bird that nicknamed fruit,

• 26 March, 2024: Console Edition launches!
• January 30, 2024: Console Edition is formally announced!
• December 5, 2023: The Wisent , Wild Boar , Mute Swan , Sloth Bear , Wolverine , Saiga , Takin , and Hermann's Tortoise are revealed to be in a new " Eurasia Animal Pack " DLC alongside a new scenario !
• December 4, 2023: Modular Souvenir Shops were announced to be coming in Update 1.16 !
• November 5, 2023: Planet Zoo was released four years ago!
• November 2, 2023 : Planet Zoo celebrated its fourth birthday, Update 1.15.2 released with the Collared Peccary species as a gift!
• September 12, 2023: The North Island Brown Kiwi , Tasmanian Devil , Little Penguin , Spectacled Flying Fox , and Quokka are revealed to be in a new " Oceania Pack "!
• September 11, 2023: Both Guest Viewing Domes and brachiation for Orangutans were announced to be released with Update 1.15 !

© 2019 Frontier Developments, PLC.

• 1 Walkthrough Exhibit
• 2 Career Mode
• 3 Cheat Codes

Planet Zoo - A Complete Guide

In this collection of guides, you'll find information about maximizing zoo profits, maintaining animal welfare, building exhibits, shops, and more.

Quick Links

Planet zoo reviews and faqs, getting started in planet zoo, planet zoo guides, planet zoo articles and inspiration, planet zoo dlc.

Planet Zoo is a zoo construction and management simulation game and is considered the spiritual successor of the Zoo Tycoon franchise. It uses the same game engine as Planet Coaster, meaning much of the building and management elements work in the same way.

• Planet Zoo: Console Edition Review - Lions, And Tigers, And Bears, On Console

Planet Zoo focuses heavily on realism and includes incredibly detailed animal portrayals as well as a huge amount of conservation awareness that's carefully wrapped into the gameplay. The building and management tools are also in-depth and, as such, the game has a steep learning curve. Our collection of guides will help you navigate this in-depth animal kingdom.

With the launch of Planet Zoo: Console Edition, the zookeeping world has expanded. Here are the reviews of each version of Planet Zoo as well as the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Planet Zoo: Console Edition.

• Planet Zoo Preview: The Most Refined Park Planner Yet
• Planet Zoo Review: Grab A Shovel, You're About To Get In Deep
• Planet Zoo: Console Edition - FAQ Guide

Planet Zoo can feel overwhelming, but these guides will help you get started on your zookeeping journey. They cover all the basics, including animal care, building, and management.

• Beginner Tips: Zookeeping Tips For New Players
• Beginner Tips: Things To Pay Most Attention To
• A Beginner's Guide To Starting A Zoo From Scratch
• A Beginners Guide To Habitats, Exhibits And Animal Care
• A Beginner's Guide To Building Custom Shops

Once you've got the basics down it's time to expand your knowledge and your profits. These guides will help you earn more money, find out more about the animals in your zoo, and offer tips and tricks for completing specific tasks.

• Maintaining Animal Welfare While Maximizing Profit
• Tips For Timed Scenarios
• Guide To Creating The Perfect Penguin Enclosure
• Tips For Breeding Perfect Animals
• Pro Tips Every Player Should Know
• How To Build A Hard Shelter
• How To Install And Use Mods

These articles cover anything that isn't a guide or review. From interviews to inspiration, here's some more Planet Zoo information.

• Real-Life Zoos To Use As Inspiration For Planet Zoo
• Most Popular Animal Attractions
• Best Animal Color Variations
• Best Player Creations
• Hilarious Planet Zoo Memes
• Hidden Details Most Players Don't Know About
• Best Animal Custom Colors, Ranked
• Endangered Species They Included In Planet Zoo

Below is information about the different DLC packs available for Planet Zoo including what is available in each one.

• Africa Pack Overview: Adorable Animals And Amazing Scenery
• Aquatic Pack Overview: Pick Up A Penguin
• Australia Pack Overview: Dingos Chased My Visitors
• Conservation Pack Overview: You'll Want To Save This One
• Europe Pack Overview: Snowy Scenarios And Venetian Canals
• North America Animal Pack Overview: Wait, Moose Can Swim?
• South America Pack Overview: Monkeys & Mountains
• Southeast Asia Animal Pack Overview: Climb All The Trees
• Wetlands Animal Pack Overview: Explore A Unique Variety Of New Species
• Oceania Pack Overview: All New Animals, Ranked

Help Centre

Need to contact customer support?

Having issues with Planet Zoo? You may want to contact customer support, or browse our FAQs for help with your problem. To report a bug in the game, please use the dedicated Issue Tracker.

Player Guides

A Beginner's Guide to Planet Zoo – The Basics

A Beginner's Guide to Planet Zoo – Building Your Zoo

A Beginner's Guide to Planet Zoo – The Animals

A Beginner's Guide to Planet Zoo – Staff & Guests

A Beginner's Guide to Planet Zoo – Managing Your Zoo

Frequently asked questions.

Planet Zoo is an award-winning zoo simulator, where players construct, customise, and manage the world’s wildest zoos populated by an incredible array of animals.

In Planet Zoo, budding zookeepers can test their skills across four engaging game modes: Career, Franchise, Challenge, and Sandbox. Deep management and simulation features allow players to focus on the bigger picture, or control the smallest details to ensure animals, staff, and guests can thrive, as they build the ultimate zoo from the ground up.

Planet Zoo is available to play on PC.

Planet Zoo: Console Edition will be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

In order to run Planet Zoo, your PC will require the following specifications:

Minimum System Specifications

• OS: Windows 7 (SP1+)/8.1/10 64bit
• Processor: Intel i5-2500 or AMD FX-6350
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 (2GB) or AMD Radeon R9 270X (2GB)
• Storage: 16 GB available space

Recommended System Specifications

• OS: Windows 10 64bit
• Processor: Intel i7-4770k or AMD Ryzen 5 1600
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB) or AMD Radeon RX 580 (8GB)

No. Planet Zoo does not feature multiplayer gameplay. However, Planet Zoo does feature a number of ways to engage with the rest of the Planet Zoo community, including trading animals in Franchise Mode and sharing creations in the Steam Workshop.

You can only trade for Conservation Credits in Franchise Mode. To list the animal on the market for Conservation Credits, select 'Trade.'

Other players will be able to adopt your animal while the animal is listed. If the animal isn't adopted before the listing expires, it will return to the Animal Storage.

Before you can trade an animal, you must send it to the Trade Centre. Animals cannot be traded when they are Juvenile, Sterile or Elderly.

Object Blueprints

The steps for creating an object blueprint are as follows:

• Use the multiselect tool to select the objects required for the blueprint.
• Select 'New Blueprint'.
• Position the camera and set the time of day to determine the blueprint's thumbnail appearance.
• Name the blueprint.
• Give the blueprint a description.
• Add tags to the blueprint via the dropdown menu.
• Choose ‘Create Blueprint’ which will save the blueprint and add it to the relevant browser locations determined by the tag(s) it was given.
• Once created an object blueprint can be shared to the Steam Workshop by selecting the blueprint within the blueprint browser and selecting 'Upload to Steam Workshop'.

To delete a blueprint, select the blueprint thumbnail in the browser and choose the ‘Delete’ icon.

Habitat Blueprints

To blueprint a habitat:

• Select the habitat and from the habitat's info panel and choose 'Save as Blueprint'.
• Choose 'Create Blueprint', which will save the blueprint and add it to the relevant browser locations according to the tag(s) it was given.
• Once created a habitat blueprint can be shared to the Steam Workshop by selecting the blueprint within the blueprint browser and selecting ‘Upload to Steam Workshop’.

Habitat blueprints are defined by the habitat perimeter and the objects contained within, as well as the terrain and any water bodies that are fully encompassed by the habitat.

Blueprints are downloaded by subscribing to a blueprint in the Steam Workshop. Once subscribed, the blueprint will be downloaded and added to the relevant browser locations.

To share a zoo, navigate to My Zoos in the main menu and select the zoo to be shared. The ‘Upload to Workshop’ option will appear and once chosen will open the Workshop's item creation flow:

• Choose ‘New Workshop Item’.
• Edit the Workshop Title and description if necessary.
• Choose ‘Create Workshop Item’.

After this, the zoo is uploaded to the Steam Workshop and is available for other players to download. You can also browse and download other player’s zoos in the Steam Workshop.

Only zoos saved as a Sandbox or Franchise zoo can be shared online. They exist as a snapshot of that zoo at the time they were shared. Sharing a Franchise zoo shares a standalone version of it.

Changes players make to it will only be visible to them and, as a result, will not affect the original Franchise zoo from where it came.

The Deluxe and Ultimate editions of Planet Zoo: Console Edition come complete with the following bonuses:

• Three distinctive looking animals with unique behaviours, the Pygmy Hippopotamus, Thomson’s Gazelle and Komodo Dragon.
• The original soundtrack including 18 unique tracks.
• A set of digital wallpapers.
• Deluxe Edition bonuses.
• Every piece of DLC ever released, containing over 80 different animal species.

Planet Zoo is available at the following recommended retail prices:

• Base Game: £34.99/$44.99/€44.99
• Deluxe Edition: £42.99/$54.99/€54.99
• Ultimate Edition: Value of £146.87/$184.27/€184.27. The exact price will vary depending on what DLC you already own.

The languages available in Planet Zoo are:

English, French, German, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Latin America), Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Italian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Swedish

Planet Zoo can be purchased directly from Steam or the Frontier Store .

The most popular FAQs from our Knowledgebase

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• General Discussion

What is the use of "advanced research"?

• Thread starter shirandhak
• Start date Jun 11, 2021

If you (resp. your vets) are done with normal research, you receive this gold "coin" in the research window and you can do "advanced research". (Edit: You have that progress bar with the pink scolar*s hat and it says something like "Bonus for advanced research" in the title.) But I don' t ever see any progress in the progress-bar. If seems to be always just a little bit done and stuck there (ca. 1/7 of the bar is pink). And where you can look what goodies there are, everything has a green checkmark, only the bottom field with the pink bubbles stays white. In Zoopedia everything seems to be unlocked and the curiousae are there, too. So, what is this "advanced research" doing? And can you somehow somewhen complete the pink bar? And what is the bonus if you do?  

If I remember correctly, advanced research helps to boost the education rating for this specific animal.  

iloveyourzoos

From the in-game help menu (Question Mark in top left corner, Management Section, Page 4 on vet research): "Once a research chain has been completed, the vet can be left researching the animal, this is advanced research. This will provide a boost to a zoo's education rating." Education ratings in turn help keep guests happier longer, which can lead to more donations and spending, and also help your zoo's reputation (which in turn helps bring more guests to the zoo). I've also seen unconfirmed player theories of some other possible impacts (although again, I'm not sure if these are 100% accurate): Some say that happier guests (which education and advanced research influences) are more likely to go deeper into your zoo, and can go further distances between destinations before they give up and turn around. Some say that happier guests improves an animals star ratings, (and/or that seeing an animal with advanced research makes happier guests see more animals or travel to see more animals, and that the number of viewers can in turn help increase the star ratings of other animals or the zoo as a whole). Some say that advanced research helps with breeding and fertility -- either directly, or as a cumulative side effect of one of the other benefits, such as stars, etc. These cumulative impacts are a bit tougher to prove or disprove, since there are so many other factors involved. But it is worth remembering that education ratings aren't just one static number to achieve, but rather a game mechanic that is tied to several other interconnected game mechanics, at least marginally. Presuming that I have enough money to hire enough vets, I like to do it. I like to do it for the animals nearest to my entrance first (so that guests get an immediate education/happiness boost as they come in), as well as any animals that I'm having trouble breeding (just in case), and high-priced animals (both to get a donation boost, and because they often have larger habitats that guests need to traverse to/around). Sometimes I even make enough money that I can advanced research every animal in the zoo. One important note and potential downside: Vets who are doing research (including advanced research) tend to forget all of their other tasks. So make sure you have a good mix of "working" vets who actually care for animals, and dedicated research vets who you aren't relying on to keep the rest of the zoo functional.  

eviltiger13

iloveyourzoos said: From the in-game help menu (Question Mark in top left corner, Management Section, Page 4 on vet research): "Once a research chain has been completed, the vet can be left researching the animal, this is advanced research. This will provide a boost to a zoo's education rating." Education ratings in turn help keep guests happier longer, which can lead to more donations and spending, and also help your zoo's reputation (which in turn helps bring more guests to the zoo). I've also seen unconfirmed player theories of some other possible impacts (although again, I'm not sure if these are 100% accurate): Some say that happier guests (which education and advanced research influences) are more likely to go deeper into your zoo, and can go further distances between destinations before they give up and turn around. Some say that happier guests improves an animals star ratings, (and/or that seeing an animal with advanced research makes happier guests see more animals or travel to see more animals, and that the number of viewers can in turn help increase the star ratings of other animals or the zoo as a whole). Some say that advanced research helps with breeding and fertility -- either directly, or as a cumulative side effect of one of the other benefits, such as stars, etc. These cumulative impacts are a bit tougher to prove or disprove, since there are so many other factors involved. But it is worth remembering that education ratings aren't just one static number to achieve, but rather a game mechanic that is tied to several other interconnected game mechanics, at least marginally. Presuming that I have enough money to hire enough vets, I like to do it. I like to do it for the animals nearest to my entrance first (so that guests get an immediate education/happiness boost as they come in), as well as any animals that I'm having trouble breeding (just in case), and high-priced animals (both to get a donation boost, and because they often have larger habitats that guests need to traverse to/around). Sometimes I even make enough money that I can advanced research every animal in the zoo. One important note and potential downside: Vets who are doing research (including advanced research) tend to forget all of their other tasks. So make sure you have a good mix of "working" vets who actually care for animals, and dedicated research vets who you aren't relying on to keep the rest of the zoo functional. Click to expand...

(I'm much less sure about this answer, so if anyone has "completed" and gotten different results, please do correct me!). My understanding is that advanced research isn't something that you "complete", but rather something more like ongoing study that can last forever if you want it to. And the education bonus (and any other cumulative benefits from that) will last as long as you continue to have a vet dedicated to that task. (And presumably stop if you take the vets off). But I'd love to hear if anyone else has found this to work differently. One other thing I have noticed for franchise players, is that while regular research carries over between all the zoos in your franchise, advanced research doesn't appear to. For example, I have advanced research going in my community challenge zoo for the camels which are coming up, but when I look at another zoo that has camels it shows them fully researched for regular research, but not getting a bonus for the advanced research that is happening in the first zoo. (Although if there does turn out to be a "completion" somewhere down the line, maybe this would change?)  

shirandhak said: Again many thanks for answering Your answer explains very good another wondering of mine: Because my guests have suddenly an education of 100% in a rather small zoo with just the exibit-boards and no other educational things. OK - this is how advanced research works and I'm fine with in. (It should be explained somewhere, though. This game needs a manual pdf for download.) Click to expand...

My vets are both 5 stars. And I think, they need access. At least they are visiting regularly (but may be that's just the normal vet visit).  

Planet Zoo: Console Edition Hands-On Preview

• Planet Zoo has a meticulous level of detail and research, making it an exceptionally deep sim with strict requirements for each animal.
• The game's focus on animals and conservation is evident, with a passionate development team and charity events.
• The console edition of Planet Zoo translates well from PC, with easy navigation, accurate controls, and a slick and innovative UI.

I have fond memories of Zoo simulation games. When I was younger, I had an old, old, PC in my bedroom. It had no access to the internet, but what it did have was Microsoft Paint, Solitaire, Pinball, and, for some reason, Zoo Tycoon.

I was around 12 at the time and had just started high school. I named all of the animals after my new friends, and I distinctly remember naming two penguins after myself and my crush. Despite having, and loving, a Nintendo GameCube at the time, I kept finding myself drawn back to the allure of zookeeping. This sparked an early interest in simulation games for me as a young lad, and while my GameCube eventually became king, I spent a lot of time playing this, alongside the likes of Theme Park, Theme Hospital and The Sims, including, of course, Urbz on console.

As I grew older, though, I played fewer and fewer games within the genre, dabbling in Cities Skylines and putting in some considerable hours with Frontier Developments' Jurassic World Evolution as my only two notable time sinks since my early years. Recently, I've had a hankering to find a way back into the genre, and I couldn't have timed it better, as Frontier kindly invited me to their studio to check out Warhammer: 40,000 Chaos Gate — Daemonhunters on console and the newly revealed Planet Zoo: Console Edition .

Platform(s) Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC

Developer(s) Frontier Developments

Having not played the PC version, the first thing that became apparent to me was just how much love had gone into the creation of Planet Zoo. Not only had each of the animals' physical forms been faithfully, and meticulously, recreated, but they had a strict set of requirements, likes and dislikes governed by their real-world behaviours. It was clear that hours and hours of research had been done on each of the game's many, many species.

What I really enjoyed though, as an animal lover myself, is that it was clear that the development team felt the same. Sitting in the room amongst the developers, playing the console version of the game for the first time, there was a real passion for animals and conservation. This is evidenced further by several charity events that the studio has run .

This meticulous level of detail about the animals' needs makes Planet Zoo an exceptionally deep sim. Although I only went hands-on for a couple of hours, there was a wholly unexpected level of depth to the game. I created an enclosure for a pair of red pandas (the best animal), which I'd purchased from another in-game zoo, and I not only had to get their environment correct but had to build the right type of shelter, insert the correct feeder, satisfy them with the toys they liked, create a nice wee climbing frame for them, add the right type of fencing and more.

I could then involve myself in the game's conservation program, which involved breeding endangered animals to release into the wild, or to send to other zoos to help their efforts. While this felt like a lot, I got an inkling that I'd barely scratched the surface of what Planet Zoo had in store for me.

Not only was there an abundance of options when choosing my animals and their living environments, but also a huge, huge, range of different parks to build in and even more shops, decorations and ammenities to satisfy my guests. While it all sounds like fairly standard fare for this type of game, the choices felt endless.

Typically, there's always an air of trepidation when it comes to playing extensive simulation games, like Planet Zoo, on consoles, and it usually comes down to how well the mouse and keyboard controls translate to a traditional controller. A mouse is a perfect tool for making precise selections when it comes to menial tasks, such as placing fences, and it's not always a simple one-to-one translition onto a controller that relies on a stick which is often less accurate. The PC controls also allow for a much easier experience when zipping through the many different menus and options simulation games tend to possess.

Thankfully, at least from what I played, this doesn't seem to be an issue with Planet Zoo: Console Edition. The menus and build options, after a short adjustment period, are easy to navigate and placing objects which require you to be methodical is generally a doddle. The UI is designed to be slick and innovative, with the vast majority of tools you need can be selected by toggling the bumpers. Aside from a couple of slightly confusing menu options, it was smooth sailing. There was also the odd occasion where a fence didn't quite line up as I'd have liked it to, and the climbing frame for my red pandas was a little bit of a mess, but generally, it worked, and it worked pretty well. I don't think I had any doubts that Frontier could pull it off after how well Jurassic World Evolution's console version controls were, but there is always the possibility things can get a little awkward.

My 2024 bingo card didn't contain Planet Zoo becoming one of my most-anticipated titles of H1, but there we are. The game's been out on PC for four years now, so it's received a bunch of updates, new content, animals and modes that make for an exciting prospect on console, and, backlog dependant, might be just a day one purchase for me.

• Online play optional

Build a world for wildlife with Planet Zoo: Console Edition. From the developers of Planet Coaster and Zoo Tycoon, the ultimate zoo simulator is arriving on console. Experience the award winning, BAFTA nominated Planet Zoo on Console! Build a world for wildlife with Planet Zoo: Console Edition. From the developers of Planet Coaster and Zoo Tycoon, the ultimate zoo simulator is arriving on console. Planet Zoo brings controller support that puts powerful creative tools at your fingertips and includes years’ worth of features, content, and animals from the celebrated PC video game’s free updates. Planet Zoo: Console Edition features an incredible array of authentic animals who think, feel, and explore the world you design around them. Create unique habitats and vast landscapes, and make meaningful choices to nurture animals as you construct and manage the world’s wildest zoos using intuitive console controls. Pick up and play across four engaging game modes: embark on a globe-trotting campaign in career mode, build a network of connected zoos in Franchise mode, put your skills to the test in Challenge mode, or let your imagination run wild in the freedom of Sandbox mode. Simulation Runs wild Meet a world of beautiful, realistic animals. From playful lion cubs to mighty elephants, every animal in Planet Zoo is a thinking, feeling individual with a distinctive look and personality of their own. Craft detailed habitats to bring your animals’ natural environments to life, research and manage each species to allow them to thrive, and help your animals raise families to ensure their future generations. Meaningful Management Manage an amazing living world that responds to every decision you make. Focus on the big picture or go hands-on and control the smallest details. Thrill visitors with iconic exhibits, develop your zoo with new research, and release new generations of your animals back into the wild. Your choices come alive in a world where animal welfare and conservation comes first. Limitless Creativity Planet Zoo’s intuitive creative controls let you effortlessly make your zoo unique with piece-by-piece construction tools. Every creative decision you make impacts the lives of your animals and the experience of your visitors. Let your imagination run wild as you dig lakes and rivers, raise hills and mountains, carve paths and caves, and build stunning zoos with a choice of unique themes and hundreds of building components. Share & Inspire Join a connected community with console cross-platform and share the world’s most creative habitats, scenery, and even whole zoos on the Frontier Workshop. See your own designs appear in zoos around the world or discover fresh new content from the Planet Zoo community every day.

Console Edition

• Planet Zoo: Console Edition

Deluxe Edition

• Planet Zoo: Deluxe Upgrade Pack Bundle

Ultimate Edition

• Planet Zoo: Season Pass

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