Best Entrance Animal

[CLM7557]

I’ve been trying to figure out the best one I think it might be the basic flamingos.

[grampers62]

That's a really good question.
The answer would be dependent on what type of zoo one has created. And it might actually be an exhibit animal. Consider the case of a zoo in the tundra biome. Certainly a flamingo habitat would be out of place there. But consider a tropical zoo, flamingos would be great. And how about buffalo in a western style zoo? This is the greatness of the open build concept that allows individuals to create things as they desire with the concept that there are no wrong choices for anything as long as the player likes what they have created.

[wpegg]

From a guest flow perspective you want your guests to disperse from the entrance before seeing animals, otherwise they cause a blockage.

From a thematic perspective it's a glass tunnel with tigers besides, above, and below it.

[grampers62]

Interesting wpegg, I tend to think one should place premium species away from the entrance to get guests to go past other lesser species for a chance they look at those.

[kesi96]

I prefer more less interesting species which are not shy around the entry. This is how I avoid the animals to be stressed by the masses of visitors in a growing zoo. And the real highlights are placed more in the back of the zoo to make the people disperse in the zoo.

[CLM7557]

I usually do a NA temperate zoo and I feel an America black bear would be the best pick but for temperate right now the best is red crowned crane

[InDaInternet]

I somehow pick one of the two big turtle species as my entrance animals

[Sarsgamer]

My zoos are continent / biome specific animals so each would change for me. Though if I have animals from a community challenge that fits the theme I'll typically use those first.

Originally posted by kesi96:

I prefer more less interesting species which are not shy around the entry. This is how I avoid the animals to be stressed by the masses of visitors in a growing zoo. And the real highlights are placed more in the back of the zoo to make the people disperse in the zoo.

I'd agree with this too. In one of my latest zoos I started with Red Pandas, than merged King Pandas and Red deer into it. Than across from that I have arctic foxes, Water Buffalo with Reindeer and Badgers, that path is always congested. It doesn't help that the panda habitat is basically a long rectangle either. It's not what I planned, it was initially going to be 3 habitats.

[Sarsgamer]

Originally posted by grampers62:

That's a really good question.
The answer would be dependent on what type of zoo one has created. And it might actually be an exhibit animal. Consider the case of a zoo in the tundra biome. Certainly a flamingo habitat would be out of place there.

Originally posted by s8mille4:

I usually do a NA temperate zoo and I feel an America black bear would be the best pick but for temperate right now the best is red crowned crane

I actually do opposite biomes /continents of the animals I'm doing. Like the latest is African: Tropical and aquatic but in NA temperate. I've heard guests are happier seeing animals that aren't from their own area, but I'm not 100% sure if it's true, I haven't really noticed any difference. Though I've done a zoo in Taiga climate and the snow and rain gets a little annoying and tropical I think the rain would be annoying.

[Stewarew]

I based my zoo after the Atlanta zoo which has flamingos as its entrance animal. I say pick an animal which would be most entertaining and exciting to see, not tortoises, snakes, or insects.

[InDaInternet]

How are flamingos more fun to see than giant tortoises?

[babybigbluebird]

At the entrance i make sure to have a huge area for guests to disperse with a few benches and trees this stops any congestion. I like a little animal at the entrance something like black praire dog or meerkat. Or tortoise.

[jcp011c2]

I usually go with Meerkats or Capybara. Unless I just want to wow my guests from the start and put down a Giant Panda habitat.

[XrystalBelle]

I've found babies help boost happiness of the guests, so I tend to pick cheap small animals that take up less space and go from there. In the early days money is a serious issue, and the guests will turn around if there is nothing within that short distance to keep them amused. Sometimes I use a shop to appease them if I plan the first habitat further away from the entrance. Or, a pretty food court area, to start their spending spree on and marvel at the decor.

[Chevey]

I am obviously too mercenary. Each and every zoo I build starts with 4, sometimes 8, exhibits, just so I can start earning money to build the fun stuff XD

[grampers62]

To the OP.
If you have been following this thread You might have got the point that there are as many ideas about entrance animals as there are players. Perhaps as many thoughts on it as there are zoos! So with that in mind I would suggest you do what ever you feel is right for the current zoo you are are working on. And if it doesn't work out in *your* overall plan then change it to something else. Nothing is permanent in PZ and there is no right or wrong, just different approaches. Try new things and see what you like, or don't like like. You are the creator of your little corner of PZ and what you make is that world.