Artwork © Frontier Developments
Shoebill
Balaeniceps rex · Africa
Requirements at a glance
- Scientific name
- Balaeniceps rex
- Status
- Vulnerable
- Biomes
- Wetlands
- Temperature
- 14–33 °C
- Land area
- 200 m²
- Shelter
- 5 m²
- Barrier
- Grade 2 · 1 m
- Group size
- 1–2 (1♂ / 1♀)
- Temperament
- Shy
- Food / period
- $714
Building the habitat
The land area is a hard floor: 200 m² for the enclosure itself, plus 5 m² of shelter on top. Barrier grade 2 at 1 m contains the animal without overspending on fencing you do not need.
Keep the habitat inside 14–33 °C. Temperature is one of the most common reasons a habitat quietly loses welfare, because it never triggers the alarm that hunger does.
Group limits matter more than most players expect: mixed groups run 1–2, capped at 1 male and 1 female. Exceeding the male cap is what causes fights — not total headcount.
Habitat temperature
Terrain mix
Land area vs. the roster
Species it can share a habitat with
The Zoopedia lists 1 neutral companions. Neutral means no welfare penalty, but no shared enrichment bonus either — build to the largest space requirement of the group.
Budgeting this habitat
Food runs about $714 per period. See how that compares across the roster in our food cost ranking, or start from the best starter animals if this is a first zoo.
Similar species
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Biome: Wetlands
Figures from the official Planet Zoo 2 Zoopedia, checked 2026-10-21; patches can change them — trust your in-game build menu if they differ. Official entry. Artwork © Frontier Developments; used here for identification.