Of course, this is because most accredited zoos operate on public and private grants, donations, trusts and taxes rather than stuffed animal sales and elephant rides.
The resultant zoos are an amusing paradox: animal habitats will be far more natural and enrichment-filled than what you would see in a typical zoo, while the spectacular theme park trappings also exceed what would be deemed acceptable or appropriate with a typical zoo. The latter perhaps has undue weight, as your zoo is principally funded by ticket revenues and concession sales. Your goals are two-fold in Zoo Tycoon: create enclosures that would make your animals content and offer amenities to keep your guests content.
The results are a fun, if somewhat fiddly, experience.
Additionally, it adds a more-than-thin veneer of educational value by including write-ups on the dozens of animals available and mechanics that reward matching species with their appropriate environments. Zoo Tycoon takes the classic “city-building” strategy game gameplay and transplants it to the design and operation of private zoos.
