Planet Zoo: 18 Best Animals For Multispecies Enclosures (2024)

The highly immersive and realistic simulation game Planet Zoo puts players in the shoes of a zoo owner tasked with building, maintaining, and expanding a profitable zoo. The size, design, and type of zoo players can build is entirely up to them, but with this freedom comes some difficulty. There are a lot of animals to choose from and each has individual needs that must be maintained to ensure their happiness.

As a result, animals favorable for multispecies enclosures are often the most profitable and best for new players. They can share the same space, often have the same needs, and receive and provide bonuses to those they share space with. If players are interested in creating multispecies enclosures, here are the best Planet Zoo animals that can live together.

Updated December 24, 2023 by Joe Grantham: Planet Zoo is easily the best zoo management game of all time, with incredible attention to detail and immersive features that help players forget they are playing a game.

With over 180 species available to players with all the content, and new animals always being added, it is only natural that many of these animals can live together in peace, and provide each other with enrichment. The best animals for multispecies enclosures in Planet Zoo can work with various other species, allowing for some truly unique viewing experiences for guests.

1 Koala

Compatible With 1 Species

Koalas were added as part of the Australia Pack which is available for an additional price and adds a total of five new animals, as well as new scenery, challenges, and more. Koalas pair nicely with Red Kangaroos, though technically they don't share a suitable biome.

Both Koalas and Kangaroos require 180.0 m² in their enclosure but require no water. Koalas need a climbing area of 20 m² and also need the temperature to be 8‒42 ℃, while kangaroos need a temperature of 12‒40 ℃, which can easily be accommodated for both.

2 Pronghorn Antelope

Compatible With 1 Species

The Pronghorn Antelope is a North American animal that receives and gives a bonus when sharing a space with the American Bison. It ranks low because it only gets this bonus with one other animal. That being said, if players are going for a North American-themed zoo, the Pronghorn Antelope are great animals to have with American Bison.

They only require 370 square meters of land, have a quick maturation period of 1.5 years, and a short gestation of 8 months. These are great if players want to start breeding and selling rather quickly.

3 Red Ruffed Lemur

Compatible With 2 Species

Red Ruffed Lemurs are native to the island of Madagascar off the South East Coast of Africa and their perfect partners for a shared enclosure are their relatives, the Ring Tailed and Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs, which like any Lemurs are also only found on the remote island. All three species have very similar requirements, as they prefer a tropical biome, need 210 m² of space, and 20.0 m² of climbing area.

However, the Red Ruffed Lemurs are arguably the best out of the three, as they mature slightly quicker at 2.5 years and have a slightly lower gestation period of only 3 months. They also don't become sterile until they are 20 years of age.

4 American Bison

Compatible With 3 Species

See Also

Collective behavior: How animals work together10 Examples of Animal Species Working Together to SurvivePlanet Zoo animal combinations: These animal pairs go together27 Animals that Work Together (A to Z List & Pictures) – Fauna Facts

The American Bison gets an interspecies enrichment bonus by sharing an enclosure with the Pronghorn Antelope, but regrettably, not any of the other antelope species. They can also live with Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs if players have the North America Animal Pack. Thanks to an anniversary update they also get on with the Collared Peccary which was added for free. American Bison require an enclosure that is 420.0 m² large, with an additional 90 m² required for each individual added.

They mature rather quickly at 3 years of age and have a fairly low gestation period of 10 months. They prefer a grassland environment and temperatures that do not rise above 40 ℃. Controlling the temperature of habitats is one of the many features of Planet Zoo that new players often don't know about.

5 Mute Swan

Compatible With 4 Species

The graceful Mute Swan is one of the newest faces in Planet Zoo, arriving as part of the Eurasia Animal Pack and has taken the community by storm. In terms of compatibility with other species, the Mute Swan benefits from living alongside the two species of deer, as well as Wild Boar and Wisent from the same DLC.

While all these animals are compatible with each other, in practice the Mute Swan makes the most sense as players can create a habitat that is part land, part water.

6 Colombian White-Faced Capuchin Monkey

Compatible With 4 Species

Colombian White-Faced Capuchin Monkeys were introduced in one of the best DLCs for Planet Zoo, the South America Pack, alongside four other new animals. They are native to both South America and North America. These adorable little primates are happy to share their enclosure with Giant Anteaters, Baird's Tapirs, Collared Peccary, and Capybara all of which will be happy in a tropical biome.

These monkeys require an enclosure that is 210 m² large, with an additional 8 m² for each Capuchin added. They mature at 7 years of age, but they have a low gestation period of only 6 months.

7 Collared Peccary

Compatible With 5 Species

For the 4th anniversary of Planet Zoo, Frontier added the Collared Peccary for free, and these pig-like creatures happen to be compatible with five other species from the Americas. Amazingly, these adaptable mammals are at home in grassland, temperate, tropical, and even desert biomes, meaning fans can play around with the habitats they create.

Collared Peccary require 300 m² land with an additional 7 m² per animal added. While this is by no means a small space, they don't need any climbing space or water to swim in.

8 Giant Anteater

Compatible With 5 Species

The Giant Anteater was one of the five animals added as part of the South America pack DLC, as well as additional new scenery pieces which make it a must-buy for players who want to build realistic zoos. This animal is more than happy to share its enclosure with Colombian White-Faced Capuchin Monkeys (also from the South America pack) and Baird's Tapirs, but also Maned Wolves and Collared Peccary.

Giant Anteaters require a 660 m² space for their enclosure with an additional 60 m² for each animal added. It takes them 4 years to mature, and they have a gestation period of 9 months.

9 Common Warthog

Compatible With 9 Species

Arguably one of the best animals players can have for multispecies enclosures in Planet Zoo is the Common Warthog. These underappreciated creatures get along with many other animals that players are no doubt familiar with such as the African Buffalo, Black Wildebeest, Common Ostrich, Plains Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Sable Antelope, and Springbok.

What makes them so great is the very small land requirement of 290 square meters. Their group size is a little small with 7 members and their breeding cycle isn’t too bad with 2-year maturation and 6 months gestation. The only major downside is that players need to ensure there are never more than two males to avoid fights, but these are fantastic beasts for new players as they can keep costs low to churn a healthy profit every 6 months and slowly build up to a massive African multispecies enclosure that can facilitate the other animals on this list.

10 Thomson’s Gazelle

Compatible With 10 Species

The Thomson’s Gazelle is another African species that gets along with many other species such as the African Buffalo, Black Wildebeest, Common Ostrich, Common Warthog, Reticulated Giraffe, Sable Antelope, and Springbok.

They’re arguably more profitable than Plains Zebra because they require a smaller area of 425 square meters, larger herds of 36, a two-year maturation, and a small gestation period of 6 months. With this animal, players will have a larger herd in no time and a profitable breeding system up and running quickly.

11 Sable Antelope

Compatible With 10 Species

The Sable Antelope is a great animal for multispecies enclosures as it gets along with many other African animals such as the African Buffalo, Black Wildebeest, Common Ostrich, Common Warthog, Plains Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, and Springbok.

The land requirement isn’t too crazy at 450 square meters, but they offer a measly herd size of 11. One advantage is that players can instead form bachelor groups. They have a short 1.5-year maturation, and a 9-month gestation isn’t too bad. They are an average species that make a great addition to an African plains multispecies enclosure.

12 Black Wildebeest

Compatible With 10 Species

The Black Wildebeest gets along with other members of the African plains such as the African Buffalo, Common Ostrich, Common Warthog, Plains Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Sable Antelope, Springbok, and Thomson’s Gazelle. Naturally, they also can live in perfect harmony with Blue Wildebeest, which are available with the Grasslands Animal Pack.

They’re very similar to African Buffalo but with more favorable breeding cycles. They need 410 square meters of land and roll in herds of 32. Their maturation is better than the African Buffalo at 3 years and a smaller 9-month gestation. They are a solid species to complement any African plains enclosure.

13 Springbok

Compatible With 10 Species

Springbok are fantastic animals for multispecies enclosures given their bonuses with African Buffalo, Black Wildebeest, Common Ostrich, Common Warthog, Plain Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Sable Antelope, and Thomson’s Gazelle.

Their land requirement is a decent 425 square meters, and they have healthy herds of 35. Their best perk is the short 1-year maturation and a 6-month gestation period. Any African multispecies enclosure players build should have these great animals as they can generate a steady amount of offspring to sell or release into the wild.

14 Red River Hog

Compatible With 10 Species

The Red River Hog from the Tropical Pack DLC is one of the most interesting animals for multispecies enclosures. This is because, unlike the other African Plains species that are all compatible with each other, the Red River Hog can live with lots of species that otherwise prefer being alone.

For example, they are compatible with Gorillas and Chimpanzees, as well as both types of Hippos. Red River Hogs require 300 m² with an additional 7 m² for each individual.

15 Plains Zebra

Compatible With 11 Species

Plains Zebra are one of the many African plains animals that receive bonuses when paired with other species including; the African Buffalo, Black Wildebeest, Common Ostrich, Common Warthog, Reticulated Giraffe, Sable Antelope, and Springbok. All of these are available in the game's Standard Edition, with other compatible animals locked behind DLC.

They do require a larger land area of 510 square meters and only roll in groups of 6 at the most. They have a 4-year maturation and a 13-month gestation period. These factors cause them to rank low as they require a large space, have small herds, and take a while to breed.

16 African Buffalo

Compatible With 13 Species

The African Buffalo gets along with the Black Wildebeest, Common Ostrich, Common Warthog, Plains Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Sable Antelope, and Springbok, amongst other African species. They have a relatively large herd size of 15 with a surprisingly small land requirement of 420 square meters.

The only reason they don’t rank higher is that they have a 5-year maturation period which can be painfully slow when players need to turn a profit with them. Even if players suffer through that time the 11-month gestation can be rough, but the results will be worth it. Planet Zoo can be one of the most stressful management games, but it is also the most rewarding.

17 Reticulated Giraffe

Compatible With 13 Species

The Reticulated Giraffe gets along with an astounding 13 other species and the ones included in the Standard Editions are the African Buffalo, Black Wildebeest, Common Ostrich, Plains Zebra, Common Warthog, Sable Antelope, and Springbok. Their friendly nature and far-reaching natural habitation make them the best Planet Zoo animals that can live together with other species.

Reticulated Giraffes require a massive enclosure of 1,306 square meters, have a medium herd size of 12 and males aren’t as likely to fight as other species. However, they have a 4-year maturation and a whopping 15-month gestation period meaning it takes a while to build a herd and start selling the offspring. Reticulated Giraffes are also some of the best animals in Planet Zoo to earn conservation credits with.

18 Common Ostrich

Compatible With 14 Species

The Common Ostrich gets along with the most species at 14, including Black Wildebeest, African Buffalo, Common Warthog, Plains Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Sable Antelope, Springbok, and many other species from various DLCs. They require a large 675 square meter enclosure and can only be in groups of 8 which is small for such a large pen.

Their 3-year maturation can be annoying, but they do have the advantage of only having a 1-month gestation period. Ostriches can be a steady source of almost monthly income once built up, but getting there takes a while.

Planet Zoo

Platform(s)

PC

Released

November 5, 2019

Developer(s)

Frontier Developments

Genre(s)

Simulation