Edink Zoo Franchise

Follow my journey in creating a well-run zoo franchise in the Planet Zoo game. Pictures of the animals in this amazing game will be accompanied with conservation facts about the animals.

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Temporarily Offline

Due to other obligations there won't be any new blog posts for the time being.

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The Yellow Anaconda (or Eunectes notaeus) is a constrictor snake species found primarily in the tributaries, swamps, and marshes of the Paraguay river basin, but they can also be found in Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil. They are one of the largest snake species in the world, only second to the Green Anaconda.

Anacondas grow in length throughout their entire lives, averaging between 3.3-4.4 meters, with an average weight between 25-35 kilos (the largest ever recorded was 4.6 meters and weighed 55 kilos, it is unknown whether this weighing was done before or after a large meal). They primarily feed on wading birds that they can ambush from underwater, and after a big meal they won't eat for several months.

Fun fact: Yellow Anacondas release a chemical that deters ticks from biting them.

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The Titan Beetle, or Titanus giganteus, is the world's largest beetle species measuring up to 16.7 centimeters in length. It is native to the tropical rainforests of South America. Like many species, it is threatened by the ongoing destruction of the rainforests. However, their population in the wild is unknown, resulting in a Data Deficient conservation status.

The Titan Beetle in general is a species of which relatively little is known. Their larvae, for example, have never been found, but estimations from boreholes found in trees show that they could be 30 centimeters long and 5 centimeters wide. After emerging from their pupae, adult Titan Beetles live a relatively short life, usually dying shortly after mating. For the males this is a given fact, seeing that they don't eat at all, instead spending their energy on finding a mate and reproducing with that mate. For this purpose male Titan Beetles are able to fly, whereas females aren't despite having wings like males. Another difference between the male and female is that males are attracted to light sources, whereas females are not.

Fun fact: the mandibles of the Titan Beetle are strong enough to snap through twigs of fairly large size (especially when compared to the size of the beetle's mandibles).

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The Ring Tailed Lemur, or Lemur catta, can only be found on the island of Madagascar and, other than in captivity, does not live anywhere else in the world. They are an Endangered species primarily due to deforestation, mining, creation of farmland destroying their habitat, being hunted for bushmeat, and captured for the illegal pet trade. Large numbers can also be killed due to Madagascar's harsh weather conditions and extended periods of drought. A special reserve called 'Bezà Mahafaly' has been created to protect the lemur population and educate the local community on conservation. The reserve also promotes ecotourism and takes part in drought intervention by introducing water sources during periods of harsh weather.

Lemurs have several distinctive characteristics. Their tails are longer than their bodies (up to 63 centimeters while their bodies are between 39-46 centimeters). They also have specialized lower teeth that form a sort of dental comb used in grooming themselves and each other. But their most distinctive characteristic is their eyes: they have an adapted reflective layer in the retina that gives them excellent night vision (and makes their eyes practically glow in the dark when shining on them with a light-source).

Fun fact: Male Ring Tailed Lemurs engage in so-called 'stink fighting' when in competition for females: they drag their tails through strong-scent secreting glands located on their wrists and shoulders, and then waft their tails at each other.

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The Reticulated or Somali Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) lives in the savannahs and open forests of Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Their Latin name 'camelopardalis' comes from the fact that the ancient Greeks and Romans believed that giraffes were a cross between camels and leopards.

They are an Endangered species due to deforestation and the increase in agricultural land conversion, both of which are destroying their habitats. Another reason behind their declining population in the wild (currently 8.500) is that they live in areas of civil unrest and are likely to be killed as an indirect victim of the human conflict in those locations. Many conservation groups such as the 'Reticulated Giraffe Conservation with Pastoralists Initiative' have been established and are dedicated to protecting the species. Efforts include placing cameras on giraffe trails to track the animals, locate snares and prevent poaching (this also benefits other species living in the area). The groups also educate locals on giraffes and other local wildlife.

The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world with a prehensile tongue measuring 45 centimeters in length. Male giraffes are significantly taller than their female counterparts. And in order to win the right to mate with females, the males fight viciously by swinging their necks and horned heads into each other.

Fun fact: the skin of Reticulated Giraffes secretes chemicals that repel parasites and other insects, effectively creating their own personal bug-repellents.

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The Puff Adder (Bitis arietans), is a venomous snake species that is widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and the Southern Middle East. While generally a slow moving snake, they are extremely aggressive and bad-tempered, often remaining ready to attack and never settling when in captivity. Their venom can cause extreme pain, low blood pressure, and tissue necrosis, leading to the fact that Puff Adders are responsible for the most snakebite deaths in Africa. They're also very easily reproduced since they can give birth to a great number of live young (one female is recorded as giving birth to 156 in one go). Due to this, combined with their aggressive nature, no-one knows their actual population numbers in the wild, as such they're classed as Data Deficient.

Fun fact: Puff Adders are extremely greedy and have been known to eat themselves to death in captivity if offered unlimited food.

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The Przewalski's Horse, or Equus ferus przewalskii, is native to the steppes of Mongolia. It has been re-categorised as an Endangered species in 2011 thanks to the captive breeding programmes and reintroduction efforts. Before, around the 1960s it was driven to extinction in the wild due to habitat loss and overhunting, only surviving in captivity. Technically the species can still be considered extinct in the wild, since all populations are carefully managed in national parks and nature reserves, and all of the horses in the wild are descendants from captive breeding efforts that have been reintroduced in the wild. They continue to be closely monitored in order to maximise reproduction and minimize inbreeding.

Fun fact: Przewalski's Horses have 33 chromosomal pairs, whereas modern domestic horses have 32, indicating they became genetically separate long ago.

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The Nile Lechwe (Kobus megaceros) are an Endangered ungulate species native to the swamps and marshes of South Sudan and Ethiopia. It is difficult for any protection efforts to succeed or even be put in place as they live in areas of civil and political instability. Due to this hunting and habitat fragmentation continue to threaten the species despite their protection status. And preferring to live close to bodies of water and grazing on aquatic plants, Nile Lechwes are a key prey species for crocodiles. The young also have another specific enemy: warble flies. In the wild those flies can parasitize the calves, leading to relatively high mortality as the fly-larvae feed on tissue under the skin which can cause severe infections leading to the death of their hosts.

Male and female Lechwes are easily distinguished with males being dark brown in colour, their size measuring 160-180 centimeters in length, a shoulder height of around 1 meter, weighing between 90-120 kilos, and large horns that can measure up to 87 centimeters long. Females are much lighter in colour, have no horns, only measure 130-170 centimeters in length, no higher than 85 centimeters at the shoulder, with a weight between 60-90 kilos. As juveniles they look similar other than that the male calves already show horn-development. As male calves age they start to develop their darker coat with the characteristic white patches.

Fun fact: Nile Lechwes are also known as Mrs. Gray's Lechwe, after Maria Emma Gray, the wife of John Edward Gray, a keeper at the British Museum, who also proposed to classify the species as Kobus maria.

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The Green Iguana, or Iguana iguana, lives throughout Central America, Northern South America, and the Caribbean. With their numerous population and the fact that they have barely any enemies (human or animal) they are classed as Least Concern.

They can grow up to 2 meters in length, with males averaging at 4 kilos and females half their weight. Their strong muscular legs and tail make them excellent climbers (they can climb trees and fall up to 18 meters without injuring themselves) and fast swimmers. They're known for having a flap of skin hanging from their chins (a dewlap). The movement of the dewlap is how they communicate with each other. And despite being called Green Iguanas, their colours range from green to blue, brown, and orange (usually their colour morphs depend on their location of origin).

Similar to birds, iguana hatchlings have a special tooth called a 'caruncle' used for breaking through their egg shells. It falls off shortly after hatching.

Fun fact: Green Iguanas have a rudimentary third eye on top of their heads known as a 'pineal eye', which is sensitive to changes in light levels and movement.

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The Goliath Birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) is an extremely large species of tarantula native to the tropical rainforests, swamps, and marshes of Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil, and Venezuela. In fact, they are the largest spider species in the world measuring up to 12 centimeters long in body with a leg span up to 28 centimeters.

Despite the female spider being larger than the male spider, they do not kill and eat the males during or after mating which often happens with other spider species. Their webs are only used for making egg sacs and for sperm transfer. The spiders hunt on the forest floor by way of venom-use. The venom is not strong to humans and can be compared to wash sting venom (it is unknown whether those allergic to wasp stings are also allergic to Birdeater venom). Where threatened, Goliath Birdeaters release hairs from their abdomen that cause severe skin irritation.

Fun fact: the Goliath Birdeater is a delicacy in the local cuisine of Northeastern South America.

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The Giant Tiger Land Snail (Achatina achatina) is the largest land snail species in the world, capable of reaching a length and diameter of 30 x 15 centimeters. The snails originate from the woodlands of West Africa; specifically Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria. In Ghana they're even considered a delicacy and are often hunted for food. However, the snails have been accidentally introduced to the USA and the Caribbean where they're considered a pest. And despite the fact that they're threatened by habitat loss and over-hunting by humans, there's no actual data on their population in the wild, hence the Data Deficient conservation status.

Fun fact: Giant Tiger Land Snails have mouthparts called 'radulae' that are covered in many tiny 'teeth' used to feed by rasping them against vegetation (some say that if you're close you can hear them feed).

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The Giant Otter, or Pteronura brasiliensis, lives predominantly in the Amazon river basin and the Pantanal wetlands of South America. The otter is an Endangered species due to being extensively hunted for its pelt in the past (1950s & 60s), and this continues to be an issue at present. However, currently the biggest risk for the population is posed by habitat degradation and habitat loss by deforestation and water pollution.

Their size (average between 150-180 centimeters) and their streamlined shape not only makes them the longest member of the weasel (mustelid) family, but the Indigenous Amazonian (Tupi) word for the giant otter is 'ari'raña', which translates as 'water jaguar'.

Otters are very social animals, living in family groups up to 15 animals lead by a dominant breeding pair. In those groups they spend large amounts of timing grooming each other in order to build and maintain group cohesion. They also have 9 different vocalizations that they use to communicate with their group members.

Fun fact: Giant Otters are highly intelligent and can be trained by anyone who has had the proper training and patience to do so.

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The Giant Malaysian Leaf Insect (Phyllium giganteum) is limited to the Taman Negara rainforest in Western Malaysia, one of the oldest rainforests in the world being roughly 130 million years old.

As the name already suggests, it perfectly impersonates being a leaf among many in the trees they inhabit, mostly sitting still and being unreactive. Females are the bigger sized with 12 centimeters. Contrary to the females, the males (9 centimeters in length) have long wings and can fly.

While moulting they're very vulnerable and can die easily if either temperature or humidity of the environment aren't ideal, of if they're touched while their bodies are still soft, which makes raising them in captivity very difficult.

Fun fact: females don't require males in order to reproduce offspring. However, if male offspring is desired, then a female must breed with a male, otherwise all offspring will be female. In part due to this capability of the female leaf insect, the first male Giant Malaysian Leaf Insect wasn't discovered until 1994. Therefore, comparatively little is known about the males of this insect species.

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The Giant Burrowing Cockroach, or Macropanesthia rhinoceros, is native to Northern Australia. They are a floor-dwelling insect without wings and incapable of climbing. Instead they've been named for their habit of digging burrows in sandy earth, often delving up to 1 meter into the ground where they give birth to live young, instead of eggs like most insects do.

This particular cockroach is the heaviest species of cockroach, weighing up to 35 grams. Males have a 'scoop'-like shield on top of their head used for digging and fighting rival males. During those fights the cockroaches 'hiss' by pushing air out of their body segments (they breath in a similar fashion as the Amazonian Giant Centipede).

Due to unknown population numbers in the wild they are classed as Data Deficient.

Fun fact: Giant Burrowing Cockroaches are popular pets because of the ease of care and their positive response to being handled.

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The Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx), ranges throughout the temperate and boreal forests and mountains of Europe and Asia. In fact: not only are they the largest of the four lynx-species, they have one of the widest ranges of all wild cats. Due to their wide distribution there are even multiple described subspecies of Eurasian Lynx.

While their current population in the wild ranges between 70.000-80.000, the Eurasian Lynx populations have been threatened in the past due to overhunting for their fur. However, nowadays they're no longer endangered, instead classed as Least Concern, due to the fact that, in all countries except Russia, hunting the Eurasian Lynx is now illegal, and in the 1960s and 70s their populations have also recovered due to their reintroductions into areas of their historical range in Germany, France, Austria, and Switzerland.

Fun fact: the Eurasian Lynx is Romania's National animal (similar to how Scotland's national animal is Unicorn and Wales' is a Dragon).

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The Eastern Brown Snake, or Pseudonaja textilis, lives in Australia and New Guinea. They are the second-most venomous snake species in the world, and are the most common cause of snake bite deaths in Australia. Their Latin name: 'Pseudonaja' translates to 'false cobra', due to their defensive displays with head-rearing similar to a cobra.

Due to unknown numbers in the wild, but plentiful sightings, they're classed as Least Concern.

Fun fact: Eastern Brown Snakes are no threat during winter since they hibernate in underground burrows during those months.

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The Diamondback Terrapin, or Malaclemys terrapin terrapin, is a small turtle species from the swamps of the Eastern and Southern USA. Due to overhunting for their meat in the early 1900s they've been close to the brink of extinction. Since, in more modern times, increased urban development in the areas where they live and lay their eggs have also negatively effected their numbers. With protective legislation in place in many of the states they inhabit, their population has managed to recover somewhat, getting classed as a Vulnerable species. A current risk for terrapins is posed by commercial crab traps in which they often get caught and drown.

Due to living in the area where saltwater and freshwater converge, terrapins, similar to sea-dwelling turtles, have salt glands which allow them to get rid of any excess salt that they've accumulated from living in semi-saltwater environments. In order to avoid dehydration they need to visit freshwater on a regular basis.

Fun fact: the concentric rings within the plates of Diamondback terrapins' shells are growth rings that form as the terrapins get larger (similar to how a tree adds growth rings the older and wider they get).