I do play sandbox, but hey, that’s just what rocks my boat. I just feel that maybe there should be a bit more animals that we could choose from. Thankfully, the mod community listened to my prayers once again and created a bunch of mods to enrich the natural habitats of the game. I’ve tried to make a varied list that includes animals from all regions of the world. I think this list came out looking exactly how I wanted, and you will be able to truly make your zoo feel like a completely different place once all of the mods are installed. A word of warning though – if you’re a fan of dinosaurs, there are plenty of mods that add them to the game. Many of them were extremely popular, which is why I’m adding this quick annotation on these too. So jump in and let’s have some fun!
15. Radical Remake – African Adventures Part I
Check Out This Mod New animals, new behaviors, man more hours of fun. The Radical Remade mod adds a whole bunch of new African animals to your selection of zoo critters. Create the safari zone of your dreams and watch those mandrills move around your zoo. The creator of the mod made sure to add new behaviors to suit the animals better than others that already came in the game. All in all, I’d say it’s a solid mod. The movements are not developed with the same level of depth as others, but it’s still a great addition to the game.
14. Eurasian Jay
Check Out This Mod Alright, this mod adds the one critter. Which is why it’s not higher up on the list. However I beg you not to be fooled by its apparent simplicity. The Eurasian Jay model is absolutely fantastic. And as the creator of the mod states, it’s made from scratch. All of the animations aren’t based on other animals or aspects that the game comes with. They were made from a blank slate and carved into what you see. The jay moves naturally and everything just feels right about it. Besides, just look at it. It’s super cute. You know you want this guy in your zoo.
13. Asian Golden Cat
Check Out This Mod Yay, cats! The Asian Golden Cat mod literally adds one creature to the game. But it’s a cat, so I’m putting it above the two other mods since we all love felines. The Asian Golden cat model is, nonetheless, a very well-made mod which comes with a couple of different skins so it feels like you’re actually adding a few other animals to the game. It’s cute as heck, though, and that alone earns it a spot on my list.
12. Snake Pack
Check Out This Mod This mod sounds hilariously scary if you only read its name and avoid the description. But the Snake Pack mod is a fantastic addition to your game. You will have the option to select a bunch of new snakes to be displayed in the countless showrooms of your zoo. The mod adds a total of six new snakes, but the creator of the mod decided to add the scientific names of each snake on the description as well as in-game. They look cool, though!
11. Chilean Critters
Check Out This Mod Alright there’s a small chance that I’m picking this mod for the list because I’m currently living in Chile. Don’t be fooled by that, though. The mod is quite complete and comes with a whole bunch of animals that you’ll often found in the southernmost regions of South America. This includes the beautiful Guanaco (aka the Chilean Lama), as well as two local foxes, a flamingo, and a leopard. If you like exotic fauna then give the Chilean Critters mod a go. This country’s fauna is beautiful and it truly deserves to be in the game!
10. Imported Foliage
Check Out This Mod Ah, a fauna mega pack. This fantastic mod will add a whole new bunch of trees to your game to keep that vegetation looking unique and avoid the dull look that it can sometimes be when you stare at the same plants for a while. The mod compiles the work of various modders, so you can rest assured that there are a whole bunch of unique plants in here. They’re all coded properly so there are no bugs with them from what I could find. Some are a bit too stiff for my taste, but nothing’s perfect in this life right?
9. Nessich’s India
Check Out This Mod Man I love the textures that Nessich put on these animals. They are five different critters, all of them naturally found in India. And now you’ll be able to keep them in cages in your zoo! Share the natural beauties of India with the rest of the world and allow your visitors to be marveled with these fantastically stunning creatures.
8. Reef Animated Pack
Check Out This Mod New reefs and sea creatures are a must if you’re a fan of the underwater marvels of our planet. This mod adds a whole bunch of new sea critters to the game as well as a couple new coral reefs, which will improve the underwater sights of your aquarium-style zoo like you can’t imagine. A simple mod that makes the game look better is always welcome. Additional aquatic animals are even better. And that’s exactly what this one does!
7. Caribbean Travels Pack
Check Out This Mod This complete pack will allow you to feel like you’re actually living in the Caribbean. The first time I came across this mod, I instantly knew that I wanted it in my game. It just looks so good to have so many tropical animals in Zoo Tycoon and I knew I couldn’t miss the chance to create an exotic exhibition. Give this mod a shot – I’m sure to won’t regret it. Caribbean birds, butterflies, and amphibious creatures are all there to be found.
6. Fauna del Mundo Remake
Check Out This Mod No, this isn’t a Pitbull song. Fauna del Mundo is a mod created by a Spanish-speaking modder that adds a bunch of new animals from all over the world to the game. He didn’t only focus on creating new animals from South America; he took the time to add animals that inhabit various regions of our nature-rich planet. I absolutely love Fauna del Mundo (which means Fauna of the World in Spanish), and I’m sure you will too. There are too many new animals to see and enjoy. Plus this bad boy’s totally free to install so why not give it a try.
5. Crocodylia
Check Out This Mod I have to admit I’m not too much of a fan of crocodiles. They’re too scary for my taste. However, this mod adds a bunch of new crocs to the game and the models are so fantastically well made that it wouldn’t have been fair for me to leave this mod outside the top 5. The entire body of each crocodile is extremely detailed. I encourage you to check the models out on the download page before you get it. They’re awesome!
4. Fish Import Packs 1 & 2
Fish Import Pack 1 Fish Import Pack 2 This is the first time that I’ve ever done a two-in-one mod addition to any of my mod lists. But this couple of mods fully deserves the privilege. They actually act like a single mod, as they add a whole bunch of aquatic creatures to the game to enrich the sea life of your zoo. Fishes galore are a given with the Fish Import packs. Be sure to download both for the full effect.
3. Project Australia
Check Out This Mod The Project Australia mod adds a fair few animals that inhabit the lands of Australia (and no, I’m not talking about giant spiders or Elder Scrolls-like creatures). The mod focuses mostly on birds, and I absolutely love the way they look. The models are great too and quite realistic. Just more birds for your international zoo business.
2. Marvels 3volved Holiday Pack
Check Out This Mod Alright guys: ONE dinosaur mod. That’s all I’m giving you. And I’m adding it to the list because it also adds a whole bunch of cool prehistoric fauna. It’s a shame that the creator of the mod seems to have given up on it, as the mod really had a good thing going on for us. But even without regular updates this thing is still going strong.
1. European Expeditions
Check Out This Mod Do not be deceived by the fact that this mod lacks images on the Nexus, it adds a whole bunch of new things to the game. The title of user-made expansion serves it quite well, as you literally have a whole new world to explore with this fantastic add-on. European Expeditions honors its name and offers you new animals, maps, plants, and more. Give it a try and you’ll be entertained for hours.
