Planet Zoo 2 throws a lot of game words at you. Here's what they all mean, in plain English, grouped by topic. Each one links to the guide where it matters most.
Animals and welfare
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Welfare | How happy and healthy an animal is, from 0 to 100%. Click an animal to see what's helping or hurting it. See Animal Welfare |
| Thriving | The level above 100% welfare. You unlock the extra requirements through research. Thriving animals boost your zoo's stars |
| Enrichment | Toys and food puzzles that keep animals busy: balls, tyres, mud baths, puzzle feeders, frozen treats |
| Food grade | How good the food is. Grade 2 costs more and is a common thriving requirement |
| Plant coverage | How much of the habitat is covered in plants. Every species has a target range, and too much is bad too |
| Shelter | Covered space the animal can get into, like caves, huts and rock overhangs |
| Social group | The group's size and male/female mix. Some species allow only one adult male |
| Appeal | How interesting an animal is to guests. Big, rare and colourful animals have more |
| Traits | An individual's stats: fertility, immunity, longevity and size |
| Rating (bronze / silver / gold) | An overall grade for an individual animal based on its traits |
| Genetic diversity | How unrelated two animals are. Siblings score low. Some release groups need at least 50% |
| Contraceptives | A toggle that stops an animal breeding. Used to prevent inbreeding |
| Colour variant | An individual with unusual colouring. Purely cosmetic |
| Boxed | The game has put the animal back in its transport crate, usually because it can't move where it is or the water was drained. Click it and unbox it |
| Escape | An animal has got out of its habitat. Use emergency capture and then fix the leak |
Habitats and building
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Habitat | A fenced area for animals, on land or in water |
| Barrier | The game's word for a fence or wall. Barriers have a height and a grade (strength), and some need to be climb-proof |
| Null barrier | An invisible barrier, used where a cliff, moat or building already forms the edge |
| One-way glass | A glass barrier guests can see through but the animal can't see out of |
| Habitat gate / staff gate | The door keepers use to get in and where new animals are delivered |
| Exhibit | A small enclosure (a box or tube) for reptiles, bugs, frogs and small fish. See Exhibits |
| Aviary | A habitat with a netting roof for birds and climbing animals. See How to Build an Aviary |
| Aquarium | A water habitat with acrylic or glass walls. See How to Build an Aquarium |
| Pin species | Attach an animal to a habitat to preview whether it's big enough |
| Traversable area | A heat map that shows where an animal can walk, climb or jump |
| Blueprint | A saved build you can place again, made by you, by Frontier or downloaded from the Workshop |
| Stamp | A shape you press into terrain or paths, such as a square, circle or octagon |
| Edit widgets | Draggable dots on paths that let you reshape them after placing |
| Implied realism | A building style: make it look believable to a guest and hide the rest |
Water
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Water pump | Keeps a pond or pool fresh. Without one, water turns dirty |
| Water filter | Cleans aquarium water. Each filter adds supply, and your water area creates demand |
| Filtration network | All the filters and pools connected together. You set salinity (fresh or salt water) here |
| Shoal | A group of small schooling fish bought and simulated together |
| "Hero" fish | Big fish such as sharks and rays that are treated as individual animals with their own needs |
Staff and guests
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Work zone | A group of habitats, buildings and staff that belong together. Staff only work where they're assigned. See Staff |
| Keeper / caretaker / mechanic / vendor / vet / educator | The main staff jobs: animal care, cleaning, repairs, shops, health and research, and talks |
| Staff room perk | A bonus you choose for a staff room, like learning resources (staff train while resting) |
| Guest needs | Hunger, thirst, energy (tiredness) and toilet |
| Dietary requirements | Some guests can't eat certain foods (meat, dairy, wheat, sugar), so mix your food stalls |
| Protesters | Unhappy members of the public who turn up when animal welfare is poor |
| Zoo inspection | A periodic check by an inspector on cleanliness, facilities and animal care |
Franchise and conservation
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Franchise mode | The main management mode with a real economy and unlockable animals. See Franchise Mode Guide |
| Accreditation | Franchise tiers 1–5 that unlock new animals. See Accreditation |
| Reputation stars | Your zoo's star rating, made up of animal care, education, sustainability, guest experience and variety |
| Wildlife reserve | A wild area separate from your zoo where you release animals you've bred. See Wildlife Reserves |
| Biodiversity rating | A reserve's star rating |
| Ecosystem | A nature area inside a reserve, such as grassland, savanna or loch |
| Species role | The job an animal does in an ecosystem: grazer, scavenger, soil rooter, prey and so on |
| Release group | A group of zoo-bred animals the game accepts for release, like a mating pair or a bachelor herd |
| Quick release | Releasing a single animal straight away for a few credits |
| Quick trade | Selling an animal back straight away for a little cash |
| Conservation credits | The second currency, earned by releasing animals and doing conservation projects. See Conservation Credits |
| Conservation project | A task on the world map that costs cash and lends out staff for a while, in return for credits |
| Community challenge | A fortnightly shared goal for all Franchise players, with cosmetic rewards |
| Trade centre / storage | Where animals arrive and leave, and the holding list for animals that aren't in a habitat |
| Zoopedia | The in-game (and online) animal encyclopedia |
| Research | Vets studying animals, diseases and enrichment to unlock new knowledge and items. See Research |