Lion (Zoo Tycoon 2)

Female (Top) and Male (Bottom), as depicted in Zoo Tycoon 2.

The King of Beasts, the Lion is a vulnerable animal in Zoo Tycoon 2, which can be unlocked by achieving a 2 1/2 Star Zoo Rating and costs $7,500 to adopt. It is one of the original 30 animals in Zoo Tycoon 2, and has been featured in every Zoo Tycoon game to date, as the King of Beasts always rightfully should. In African Adventure, they were among the animals updated to include Pack Hunting/Herding in their behavior.

In-Game Description

The African Lion, scientifically known as Panthera leo, and are one of the largest living Big Cats in the game. It's trademark gender difference is known by the Males having a mane, which is actually a hindrance for them in the climate they live in, which is why the Females, who lack manes, do all the hunting, while Males typically lounge around lazily unless they are either a younger individual seeking new territory, or an already established individual defending it's own territory from another Male. Any African themed Zoo should always include a Lion, since as the King of Beasts that they are nicknamed from ancient times, they are the most famous of the African Big Cats.

Gameplay

To adopt a Lion in the game, you must have achieved a 2 1/2 Star Zoo Rating in Campaign and Challenge Mode. In addition to this, they cost $7,500 and live in the Savannah Biome. Lions eat primarily Meat, but can also eat Fish, and even Dinosaur Meat as well. They can eat from troughs, but younger individuals are too small to feed from them. Strategy wise, they can be kept with a single Male and multiple Females, which is a strategy that can be used with other animals as well for those who want to have animals reproduce faster. However, this strategy is flawed by the fact the second generation cannot breed with each other due to their family tree, so to efficiently breed generations, an equal number of Males and Females are required.