The Island Fox is the one animal every fox lover wants to see in Planet Zoo 2, but until it arrives, we have to work with what the game offers. Thankfully, a few animals come close to the look we want.
It might surprise you how many species can fill the gap left by the Island Fox. Some may not perfectly replicate the fox vibe, but they still bring charm and personality to a fox-themed zoo, making your exhibit more engaging and fun.
Before you dive into building your zoo, keep in mind the aesthetics and behaviors of the animals you choose. It’s good to unlock or check out animals that are not only visually appealing but also lively, which can elevate the excitement of your exhibits.
This Planet Zoo 2 animal tier list ranks the available species based on how well they fit into a fox-themed zoo. The Red Panda and Meerkat are my top picks, while the Grey Wolf, Eurasian Beaver, and Ring-Tailed Lemur are worth considering if you need more animals for your collection. The lower tiers are a different story. Some animals are just too big, too strange, or too far removed from the fox shape to have any chance.
The rankings aren’t about which animals are best in the game overall. We’re looking for suitable stand-ins for the Island Fox and other animals that can make a fox-centered zoo more interesting. And yes, a few entries are here because the comparison is funny rather than convincing.
S-Tier: The Best Fox Substitutes
These two animals are the best choices if you want to build a fox-themed zoo before the Island Fox becomes available.
Meerkat
Small, cute, and capable of making almost anyone smile. The Meerkat isn’t a fox, and it isn’t a cat either. It’s a meerkat, and that’s good enough for now. Its size and adorable appearance make it one of the easiest animals to fit into a fox-centered zoo.
Just don’t forget that you’re running a zoo, not a fox-themed security nightmare. Check the enclosure before opening time, and probably keep your fingers away from anything that looks interested in biting them.
Just don’t forget that you’re running a zoo, not a fox-themed security nightmare. Check the enclosure before opening time, and probably keep your fingers away from anything that looks interested in biting them.
Red Panda
Red Panda
If one animal deserves an honorary place among the foxes, it’s the Red Panda. Look at that reddish fur, the fluffy body, and the face that practically begs to be admired. It has the right shape, the right colors, and more than enough fluff to earn its place at the top.
Some people insist on calling it a panda, but we’re not here to start that argument. For a zoo built around cute, fox-like animals, the Red Panda is about as good as it gets without having an actual fox.
A-Tier: Good Replacements
These animals won’t fool everyone, but each has something worth appreciating. Some are close in shape, while others deserve a place because they bring personality and color to your zoo.
Brown Trout
The Brown Trout is a strange choice, I’ll admit. It doesn’t have fur, legs, or anything else that would help it pass as an Island Fox. Still, let’s give evolution a few hundred million years and see where it goes. Until then, it can stay in the A-Tier on the strength of that very optimistic prediction.
Eurasian Beaver
The Eurasian Beaver has the fur, the body shape, and a tail that could almost work if you were willing to use a ridiculous amount of imagination. The color is another problem, but perhaps a little hair dye and a giant fluffy sock for the tail would do the trick.
Obviously, the real animal needs no such treatment. This is just what happens when we start looking at every species and asking whether it could be a fox.
Grey Wolf
At least the Grey Wolf is a canine, so we’re starting with something familiar. Its overall shape is closer to a fox than most of the animals on this list, but the size difference is hard to ignore.
You’ll need to accept a much larger animal if you choose this one. A cheap carnival painting kit might help with the color, but keeping a wolf small enough to resemble an Island Fox is going to be a much bigger challenge.
Javan Green Magpie
The Javan Green Magpie has no fluffy coat and doesn’t look much like a fox. So why is it here? Because a fox-themed zoo doesn’t have to be filled with animals that share the same face.
It’s colorful, intelligent, and a lovely animal in its own right. Sometimes we need to stop comparing everything to a fox and appreciate what we have.
Long-Eared Owl
Those ears are doing a lot of the work here. The Long-Eared Owl has the kind of ear shape that might remind you of a fox, and its appearance is certainly appealing.
The problem comes when it spreads its wings and flies away. Convincing visitors that a flying bird is an Island Fox would require more than a clever enclosure sign. Still, it’s a good-looking animal and deserves a spot in the zoo.
Ring-Tailed Lemur
The Ring-Tailed Lemur has a cute face and a tail that immediately catches your attention. You could probably spend a while trying to convince yourself that it belongs in a fox-themed zoo, but the differences are obvious.
And please, let’s not start cutting tails off animals just to make them look more appealing. The lemur is fine as it is. Sometimes the best thing you can do is accept that not every animal will look like a fox.
Toco Toucan
The Toco Toucan brings bright colors, a distinctive beak, and plenty of personality to the zoo. It doesn’t have much in common with an Island Fox, but that doesn’t mean it has no place here.
Just admire the feathers and leave them alone. There’s no need to start pulling them aside in search of a fox hiding underneath.
B-Tier: Some Potential, But Don’t Get Your Hopes Up
These animals have at least one quality that makes them worth considering. A few have the right size, others have attractive fur or colors, and some are here because they’re simply too cute to leave out.
Asian Small-Clawed Otter
The Asian Small-Clawed Otter is adorable, but the color is wrong, and it spends far too much time around water for our fox-themed plans. It also has a habit of biting, so admiring one from the right side of the enclosure is probably the sensible option.
The cuteness is there. The resemblance isn’t.
Axolotl
Somehow, the Axolotl manages to look like a little ball of aquatic fluff despite having no fur at all. That earns it a few points in my book.
The problem is that an Island Fox habitat without an island would already raise questions. Put an Axolotl in there, and visitors might wonder what they’re actually looking at. It’s an entertaining choice, just not a convincing replacement.
Eurasian Brown Bear
A Eurasian Brown Bear cub might have a chance during the first couple of months of its life. The small body and fluffy appearance could work from a distance, provided nobody looks too closely.
Then it grows up, and the entire plan falls apart. You’ll also have to explain that enormous difference in the tail. Enjoy the cute stage while it lasts.
Golden Lion Tamarin
The Golden Lion Tamarin has a lot of fur and a small body, which gives it a few points straight away. The color is different, but that’s not necessarily the biggest problem.
The real question is how good you are with a sewing machine. If your plan involves making the animal look more like a fox, you’re going to need considerably more than a needle and thread.
Goodfellow’s Tree-Kangaroo
Look at the Goodfellow’s Tree-Kangaroo and imagine someone trying to draw an Island Fox from memory after seeing one exactly once. The result might look something like this.
It’s an unusual comparison, but there is something about its shape that makes the idea entertaining. Just don’t let anyone put on glasses and expect the resemblance to improve.
Grizzly Bear
The Grizzly Bear has plenty of fur, and its young cubs are undeniably cute. Unfortunately, that’s where most of the similarities end.
A cub might work as a temporary stand-in if you squint hard enough. Once it grows into a massive bear, though, the fox comparison becomes difficult to defend.
Mountain Hare
This placement is brought to you by Fox Entertainment. The Mountain Hare isn’t a fox, but it is small, furry, and cute enough to fit into the general theme.
It won’t replace an Island Fox, and nobody should expect it to. Still, a fox-centered zoo can always use another small animal that visitors will enjoy looking at.
