The trading and storage menu is where you buy new animals, sell old ones and park animals that aren't in a habitat. Buying well is the first step to breeding well, so it's worth knowing how the market works.
Cash or credits
Animals are listed for either cash or conservation credits:
- Common animals turn up for cash all the time.
- Rarer or high-quality animals are often credits only.
- Use the cash only filter first. Only spend credits when you can't find what you need for cash.
The market is shared and keeps changing
In Franchise mode the market is shared between players. That means:
- Listings disappear if someone else buys first. If you see a great animal, grab it.
- New animals appear constantly, roughly every few seconds to every few minutes. If nothing good is listed, wait a bit and refresh.
- Some listings have a timer and expire.
Reading an animal's listing
Before you buy, look at:
- Sex and age: a young adult has the most breeding years left. Check the Zoopedia for when the species becomes an adult and elderly.
- Fertility: never buy a breeder with 0%.
- Immunity: low immunity means it gets sick first.
- Longevity: how long it's likely to live.
- Size and appeal: bigger animals attract more guests.
- Rating: bronze, silver or gold, based on all of the above.
- Source: where it came from. Animals from different sources aren't related to each other, which is important for breeding.
My rule: no trait under 25%, and fertility and immunity matter most.
Filling a habitat: an example
For a new sable antelope habitat (group of 3–11, one dominant male):
- Filter to sable antelope, cash only.
- Look for one male with good fertility. Some high-appeal males can't breed, so check.
- Pick three or four females with no traits in the red.
- If the good ones aren't there, wait a couple of minutes and refresh. A batch of better females often turns up.
- Send them all to the zoo; they go to quarantine first.
Storage
Storage is a holding list for animals that aren't in a habitat. Use it when:
- Rebuilding a habitat: drain the water or clear the space, send the animals to storage, rebuild, then send them back.
- Making release groups: animals have to be in storage to join a group.
- Moving animals between your zoos. Remember to place them in the other zoo afterwards; it's easy to forget them in storage.
Getting rid of animals
| Option | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Release group | Lots of conservation credits, plus reserve progress | Zoo-bred animals in valid groups |
| Quick release | A few credits | Single zoo-bred animals, like spare young males |
| Quick trade | A little cash back | Bought animals, or ones you just want gone |
Bought animals generally can't be released, only traded.
Moving animals into a habitat
- New animals are delivered through the habitat gate, so a keeper must be able to reach it by staff path.
- Quarantine comes first. When they pass, move them to the habitat from the animal list.
- Watch the first arrival climb out of its crate. It's one of the best moments in the game.