In addition to ensuring animal welfare, the player must deal with managing the park as an institution. As such, elements such as inbreeding may have negative consequences on progeny. Each animal has their own genome within the game's breeding system, which reflect its life expectancy, size, health, and fertility and can be passed down through offspring. Predators can attack and kill other animals, but unlike in Zoo Tycoon, cannot attack guests. Each species has its own requirements and needs that players must satisfy through creation of a suitable exhibit environment and adequate behavioral enrichment.
For instance, wolves adopt a pack mentality and animals of the African plains (such as elephants, giraffe, zebras, wildebeest, and buffalo) can live together in a single mixed-species habitat. Animals, controlled by artificial intelligence, behave similarly to their real-life counterparts. Planet Zoo tasks players with building a zoo, with 73 animal species in the base game and 43 new species becoming available through seven separate downloadable content packs and the Deluxe Edition.
