AN internationally renowned zookeeping game has breathed fresh life into Gerald Durrell’s dream for a “global conservation movement” by featuring a new Channel Islands map, a spokesperson for Jersey Zoo has said.
Planet Zoo 2 – which was released on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on 13 October – gives players the chance to build, manage and customise their very own Jersey Zoo.
Frontier Developments, which produced the game, announced the new map as part of an extensive marketing campaign in the run-up to its release.
Its predecessor, Planet Zoo, was released on 5 November 2019 and sold over a million copies by May 2020, gaining critical acclaim for its attention to detail and emphasis on wildlife conservation.
But the game developers have now raised the bar by giving users the chance to live the dream of Mr Durrell by managing a Jersey-inspired zoo.
Ian Osborne, commercial director at Jersey Zoo, said that he hopes that Planet Zoo 2 will imbue millions of people around the world with a love for all things conservation.
“Who hasn’t dreamed of following in Gerald Durrell’s footsteps and creating a zoo of their own?
“Gerald’s vision began with a love of animals and a determination to save species from extinction, and it’s wonderful to think that Planet Zoo 2 could spark that same passion in a new generation.
“It’s particularly exciting to see a Channel Islands map, bringing a little of our Island life to players around the world.”
Jersey’s newfound position in the international zookeeping landscape may lead to more opportunities for spreading Mr Durrell’s message, he suggested.
“We hope there will be opportunities to collaborate with the developers in the future,” he said.
“Sharing how Gerald’s dream grew into a global conservation movement – and inspiring players to turn their love of wildlife into action to protect threatened species across the world.”
A spokesperson for Frontier Developments confirmed that the Channel Islands map is “closely inspired by elements of Jersey and Guernsey”, with the “location and landscape more closely based on Herm”.
“A member of the team is actually from the area and contributed his expertise to ensuring that we replicated the region in a considered way, taking into account the incredible landscape,” they said.
The spokesperson added that the developers were excited to see how players plan on navigating the specificities of a Channel Islands setting.
“We can’t wait to see how our players creatively use this location as they build breathtaking zoos, aquariums and aviaries, before releasing their animals into our stunning Wildlife Reserves.”
