- Place the game board and place the Break token on the start space corresponding to player count.
- Shuffle the 9 bonus tiles and place a random tile on each of the 4 open yellow spaces.
- Shuffle the zoo cards and place them face down on the board. Deal 6 face-down cards from the deck to the spaces on the board.
- Place the 2 organizers near the board.
- Place the Association board next to the game board.
- Place 1 partner zoon of each continent and 1 of each university on their spaces on the Association board.
- Shuffle the base Conservation project cards and place them face down next to the board. Flip 3 cards face up below the board, or 4 cards in a 4 player game.
- In a 2 player game, take 6 player tokens of an unused
player and cover:
- On the base Conservation project cards:
- the left level on the left card
- the middle level on the middle card
- the right level on the right card
- Cover the 3 spaces in the left column of the donation area on the Association board.
- On the base Conservation project cards:
- Shuffle the Final Scoring cards and place them face down next to the Association board.
- Randomly determine a start player.
- For each player:
- Take a Map A zoo map.
- You can also play with Map 0 for a more advanced game.
- You can also play with Map 1-8. Deal 2 random maps to each player, then each player chooses to use 1 of them.
- If the Zoo map has starting instructions on it, follow those.
- Take a set of Action cards and place "Animals" on its blue side under the 1 slot and randomize the other 4 cards and slot them, also on their blue sides.
- Take all components of a chosen color.
- Place the counters for appeal, conservation, and
reputation on their tracks on the game board. On the
Appeal track:
- The start player on space 0, the 2nd player on space 1, and so on.
- Place the counters for appeal, conservation, and
reputation on their tracks on the game board. On the
Appeal track:
- Place 7 of the player tokens (cubes) on the spaces on the left edge of their zoo map.
- Place 1 of the Association workers standing up on the notepad. Lay the 3 remaining workers on the spaces below the notepad.
- Take 25 money from the supply.
- Draw 2 Final Scoring cards and place them next to your board. You will only score one of these at the end of the game.
- Draw 8 Zoo cards and choose 4 of them to keep, discarding the rest.
- Take a Map A zoo map.
- Reveal the 6 cards on the display (folders).
The game is played in a series of turns that are interrupted for breaks, when things are put on hold for administration, then resumed with the next player.
Each turn consists of performing 1 action (which may trigger effects and bonuses). The action is performed by executing one of the 5 action cards below your zoo map.
- Your Zoo Map
This is where you'll build your zoo. There are some key things to know:
- You are not allowed to build on rock and water.
- Some animals require water or rock touching their enclosure.
- You cannot build on
spaces until you have upgraded your build action to level 2. - Some spaces show a yellow ⬠ bonus space, which you receive when the space is covered.
- When you support a conservation project, you will take one of the player tokens (cubes) on the left side of the board and place it on a Conservation card. You'll take the uncovered bonus at that time.
- Partner zoos and universities are placed on the right side
of your zoo map from the bottom to the top. Spaces showing
a yellow ⬠ bonus space are activated when
covered.
- Your Association card must be upgraded to take a 3rd partner zoo.
- Each partner zoo reduces the cost of playing an animal card by 3 money for matching continent icons.
- Universities grant the bonuses shown on them.
- Association workers are also used from the bottom to the top. When hired, they are placed standing on your notepad.
- You may have a maximum of 5 X-tokens.
- The Break Track
The Break token is moved via different means during the game. When it reaches the last space on the track, a break occurs with the steps below at the end of that player's turn. The player that pushed it to the end receives 1 X-token.
- Everyone discards down to their hand limit of 3, or 5 if they have the appropriate university.
- Remove any Multiplier, Venom, and/or Construction tokens on your Action cards and return them to the supply.
- Everyone returns all their Association workers to their notepads on their zoo maps.
- Replenish any missing partner zoos and universities.
- Discard the bottom 2 cards of the display (folders 1 and 2), move the remaining cards down, and replenish the display.
- Take income. Some effects (e.g. take cards from the
display) will require things to be executed in turn order,
otherwise, these items can be done simultaneously.
- Collect income according to the appeal of your zoo. This is indicated by the darker color above the appeal spot on the board.
- Take 1 money for each unique building, special enclosure, occupied standard enclosure, and pavilion adjacent to each kiosk.
- Collect income indicated by the
icon on
Sponsor cards and your zoo map.
- Return the Break token to its starting space for your player count.
- Continue the game with the next player's turn.
- Action Cards
The number on the slot of each action card indicates its strength when used. Once the action has been completed, the action card is removed, all cards to the left are slid to the right to fill the space, and removed action card is put in slot 1.
- You can use X-tokens to increase the strength of the action
by 1 for each token used.
- These are returned to the supply when used.
- Note: This may allow you to increase the strength of your action to more than 5!
- You cannot use X-tokens that would be gained from the action to increase the strength of the action.
- Some zoo cards have an effect "after finishing". These are done after the action is complete and action cards have been moved.
- You can use X-tokens to increase the strength of the action
by 1 for each token used.
- Cards
Level 1
Advance the Break token 2 spaces. Then draw cards from the deck OR snap.
- 1st advance the Break token 2 steps. If you get to the end of the track, see the instructions for resolving the Break track at the end of your turn.
- Compare the strength of the action with the table on the card to find the number of cards to draw.
- If you execute the action with a strength of 5+, you may instead take 1 card from the display (Snapping). You may take any card, regardless of your reputation.
Level 2
Advance the Break token 2 spaces. Then draw cards from the deck or within reputation range OR snap.
- You may draw cards from within your rep. range and/or from the top of the deck (in any order).
- You may also snap with a strength of at least 3. and like the Level 1 action, this allows you to take any card, regardless of reputation.
- This will also let you progress past 9 on the rep. track.
Important Notes
- When taking cards from the display, regardless of how, the cards are only replenished at the end of your turn!. This is done by sliding existing cards down and refilling any open spaces at the top.
- You may not look through the discard pile.
- Build
Level 1
Build exactly 1 building of your choice with maximum size of <strength> on your zoo map. Pay 2 money per space.
- Available: Kiosk, pavillion, standard enclosure, and Petting Zoo.
- The size of the building is equal to the number of spaces it covers.
- Each zoo can only contain 1 Petting Zoo.
- Enclosures are used to accommodate animals.
- Building a pavillion increases the appeal of your zoo by 1.
- The building cost (money) is payed to the supply.
- The building must be built adjacent to an existing
building.
- If it is your 1st building, you can build it such that 1 space must be on a border space.
- You can only build on empty spaces. You cannot build on rock or water spaces.
-
You can't build on
(level 2)
spaces. -
A kiosk must be at least 3 spaces from another kiosk.
- Standard enclosures are built with the empty side face up. Note that the Petting zoo is the same on both sides.
- If you cover a space with a yellow ⬠, you immediately take the bonus.
Level 2
Build as many different buildings as you like with a maximum total size of <strength> on your zoo map.
- Newly available: Large Bird Aviary and the Reptile
House.
- If built, you may immediately move animals
from standard enclosures to the the new building.
- You are not allowed to do this at any other point in the game.
- If built, you may immediately move animals
from standard enclosures to the the new building.
- Each zoo can only contain 1 Reptile House and 1 Large Bird Aviary!
- This action does not allow you to build unique buildings, those come into play via Sponsor cards.
- You can now build more than 1 building with 1 action.
You can not build 2 identical buildings though.
The total size cannot exceed the <strength>.
- Each building should be built in its entirety before building the next building, which includes taking bonuses.
- Note that any "after finishing" bonuses only trigger at the end of the Build action.
- You can now build on
(level 2)
spaces.
- If you cover every space in your zoo, not including water/rocks, immediately increase the zoo appeal by 7.
- Animals
Level 1
Play Animal cards from your hand.
-
Compare the strength of the action with the table on the card to determine the number of cards that can be played.
-
Check the conditions on the left side of the card to make sure you meet them.
- Pay the cost to play the animal in the upper left of
the card.
- If you have a partner zoo matching the continent, pay 3 less per continent icon.
- If the card gives you money for playing the animal, you can not use this money to pay for the animal.
- Fill an empty enclosure.
- The standard enclosure must be at least the size required by the animal (upper left of card). Flip the enclosure to its occupied side. Make sure any water/rock requirements are met for the enclosure.
- Petting zoo animals can not be put into a standard enclosure.
- All reptiles and birds can be put in the Reptile House and Large Bird Aviary, respectively.
- Place the animal card next to your zoo map.
- Execute all effects.
- Increase your appeal as indicated on the card.
- Check for any conservation project points or reputation increases on the card.
- If the text effect says "after finishing", do this after you've completed your Animals action. All other effects on the card should be finished before moving on to the next Animal card.
- If multiple effects trigger simultaneously, you decide the order to execute them.
Level 2
Play Animal card from your hand or within reputation range.
- When upgraded, you can play animals directly from the
display.
- The card must be in your reputation range.
- You must pay an additional cost equal to the number on the folder.
- Do not replenish the display until after your turn.
- You may increase the reputation of your zoo by 1 if you have a strength of at least 5. This is done at the beginning of your action.
- You may play
(level 2) Animals.
-
- Association
Level 1
Perform exactly 1 association task
- You need at least 1 unused worker to perform this task.
- Place the worker on Association board. If 1 of your workers is already on the task, you must place 2 workers to perform the task. If 3 of your workers are already on the task, you cannot do this task.
- Make sure you have the required strength for the task.
- Str. 2: Increase the rep. of your zoo by 2.
- Str. 3: Take a partner zoo from the association
board and place it in the lowest empty space on your
zoo board.
- You can not take a partner zoo you already have.
- **Your association action must be level 2 to take a 3rd and 4th partner zoo.
- Each partner zoo reduces the cost of playing Animal cards matching the continent by 3 money per continent icon on the card.
- Some animals require a partner zoo.
- Str. 4: Take a university from the board and place
it on your zoo map in the lowest spot.
- Take bonuses and advance your rep. counter if shown on the university.
- You can not take a university you already have.
- Str. 5: You may either support a project already
in play or play a Conservation project card from your
hand and support that.
- If you play a new project card, place it above
the Association board in the leftmost space. If
there is a project there, slide all projects to
the right first.
- If there are more projects than you can have for your player count (1 per player), discard the right-most card. Tokens on the card are returned to players' supplies.
- To support a project, you must fulfill the requirement for the space on the card.
- You can not support a project that already has your token on it.
- The token to cover the space on the project card comes from the left hand side of your zoo map, not your supply. Take the uncovered bonus immediately.
- Take any additional bonuses shown on the project card.
- If you play a new project card, place it above
the Association board in the leftmost space. If
there is a project there, slide all projects to
the right first.
Level 2
Perform one or more different Association tasks. You may make 1 donation
- You may take more than 1 task if you have the 1 or 2 workers necessary for each task.
- The total value of all tasks can not exceed the strength of the action.
- For Conservation projects, you may play a project directly from the display within your reputation range. You must pay an amount of money equal to the number on the folder. Replenish the display at the end of your turn.
- In addition to association task(s), you may make
1 donation. Pay the smallest amount of money in an
uncovered space and cover the space with a token
from your supply, not your zoo map. Gain 1
conservation point.
- If all spaces are covered, additional donations all cost 12 money.
- To donate, you must have completed at least 1 Association action.
- Sponsors
Level 1
Play exactly 1 Sponsor card OR advance the Break token and take money.
- The strength of the action must be at least the strength shown on the card.
- You must meet all conditions on the left hand side of the card.
- Execute the instant or recurring effect of the card and then place it next to your zoo map.
- Alternatively, you can use this action to advance the Break token <strength> steps and take <strength> money for doing so. You always take <strength> money regardless of how far the Break token moves.
Level 2
Play 1 or more Sponsor cards OR advance the Break token and take money
- You may play multiple Sponsor cards for 1 action.
- The strength of your action plus 1 must be at least as high as the sum of the levels on played cards.
- If you play multiple cards, you complete everything on 1 card before moving on to the next.
- If cards have "after finishing" in the text, this is executed after your entire action is complete.
- You may play Sponsor cards from the display within your reputation range. Pay an additional amount equal to the number of the folder. Do not replenish the display until the end of your turn.
- If you use this action to advance the Break token, take 2x the money.
- You can now play
(level 2) Sponsor cards.
- X-Token
Take 1 X-token.
- If you can't do another action or you don't want to
do another action, you can use this to take 1 X-token.
- This is performed using any Action card, but the strength isn't used.
- Move the selected action card to slot 1 and adjust the other cards as normal.
- You can only have a max of 5 X-tokens so you can't take this action if you already have 5 tokens.
- If you can't do another action or you don't want to
do another action, you can use this to take 1 X-token.
End of Game Trigger
- The game end is triggered if, at the end of a turn or during a break, a player's Conservation and Appeal counters are ever in the same scoring area. Note that there are multiple appeal spaces in most conservation areas.
- If the end of game is triggered at the end of your turn, all other players get 1 final turn, but not you.
- If the end game is triggered during a break, all players get 1 final turn.
Final Scoring
- If no player reached 10 conservation points, all players should discard one of their Final Scoring cards now.
- Gain any conservation or appeal points from Final Scoring cards.
- Gain any conservation or appeal points from any cards with the hourglass (also, brown stripe in the top left) symbol on them.
- Your final score is your appeal value minus the lowest appeal
value in the space your conservation token exists. This means
your score may be negative. The person with the highest score
wins.
- If there is a tie, the tied player who supported the most Conservation projects wins. (Count the number of missing tokens from the left side of player boards)
- If there is still a tie, the players share the victory.