Wildlife Reserves and rewilding
Reserves are the second career track: restore an ecosystem, earn biodiversity stars, and release animals that were bred in your zoos.
Reserves use the same simulation as habitats but a different goal: instead of keeping animals, you restore an area and support its population. In Franchise, reserve biodiversity stars are half of the accreditation requirement.
What a reserve involves
| Element | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ecosystem tools | Terrain sculpting, ecosystem brush and vegetation for the reserve area |
| Biodiversity rating | The star rating accreditation reads |
| Releases | Animals bred in your zoos moving into the reserve population |
| Species pool | Gated by accreditation tier, like the animal market |
Release readiness
A release is not just a transfer: the animal has to be healthy, mature enough and worth releasing. The checklist tool walks the states you can confirm, and marks the rest unknown rather than assumed.
- Mature — the species page publishes age of sexual maturity; juveniles are not release candidates.
- Habitat-matched — barrier, space and temperature values on the species page are the same ones that matter before release work starts.
- Compatible — species lists on the animal page show thriving and neutral companions, which matters when a reserve already holds animals.
- Recorded — note the version you released on: 1.0.5 resolved reserve cost and terrain issues, so older write-ups may not match.
Reserve bugs already fixed
The 1.0.5 notes include two reserve fixes: Wildlife Reserves costing the incorrect amount of Conservation Credits, and a crash when choosing an Ecosystem Brush in the Tanzania Reserve. Both are worth knowing if you read a launch-week guide.
Tools for reserve work
FAQ
Common questions about this topic.
Do reserves need animals from my zoos?
Yes — reserves are fed by releases. Breeding in your zoos is the supply line.
How many reserves do the higher tiers need?
Two for tier 4 and three for tier 5, each at 3 Biodiversity Stars according to the widely reported tier table.
What is the biodiversity rating?
The reserve's star rating, which the accreditation requirement reads alongside zoo reputation.
Are there reserve bugs?
1.0.5 fixed reserve cost errors and a Tanzania Reserve ecosystem-brush crash. Update before reporting new issues.