The Island Fox remains the elusive prize for fox fans in Planet Zoo 2, but until it becomes available, players need good alternatives. Thankfully, several animals capture enough of a fox’s charm to fill that gap.
This animal tier list ranks species based on how well they can substitute for a fox in your zoo. Leading the pack are the Red Panda and Meerkat, while others like Grey Wolf, Eurasian Beaver, and Ring-Tailed Lemur offer interesting possibilities to expand your collection. Lower-tier picks generally fall short due to size, shape, or aesthetic mismatches.
Instead of rating overall gameplay value, this list focuses on how fit each animal is as a fox substitute, sometimes including offbeat choices for their humor or unique appeal rather than close resemblance.
S-Tier: The Best Fox Substitutes
If building a fox-themed zoo now, these top-tier animals are your best bets before the real Island Fox lands.
Meerkat
The Meerkat is small, irresistibly cute, and perfect for bringing a lively energy to your fox-themed exhibits. It’s neither a fox nor a cat, but with its size and charm, it fits nicely into the fox motif.
Just remember you’re managing a zoo, not a fox-themed bite zone—inspect its enclosure carefully and keep visitors out of reach of those curious little teeth.
Red Panda
The Red Panda practically earns honorary fox status with its striking red fur, plush body, and expressive face. Its shape and colors capture the adorable, fluffy vibe almost perfectly.
Often mistaken for a panda, the Red Panda stands out as an ideal choice to anchor any fox-centered zoo in Planet Zoo 2.
A-Tier: Good Replacements
These animals aren’t exact lookalikes but bring enough qualities—shape, color, or personality—to complement your fox-themed zoo.
Brown Trout
The Brown Trout is an oddball here. No fur or legs, clearly not a fox. Still, evolution might have strange plans, so it stays in A-tier for its sheer hopeful optimism.
Eurasian Beaver
The Eurasian Beaver has the right fur, a vaguely suitable body shape, and a tail that, with imagination, might pass for fox-like. Color-wise it’s off, but a little zoo magic could help.
This illustrates how far we’ll go searching for fox stands-ins—some are more about fun than faithfulness.
Grey Wolf
Being a canine, the Grey Wolf shares the fox family resemblance, though its size makes it a poor visual match. If you accept a larger presence, it could bring a wild ambiance to your zoo.
Painting the wolf to resemble a fox might be tempting, but keeping it manageable and small enough to fool guests is the real challenge.
Javan Green Magpie
With no fur and no fox-like features, the Javan Green Magpie seems out of place at first glance. Yet it injects brilliant color and intelligence, reminding us a fox-themed zoo can include delightful variety.
Sometimes we need to appreciate each species for itself, beyond strict comparisons.
Long-Eared Owl
The Long-Eared Owl earns its spot thanks largely to those dramatic ears resembling fox ears, alongside a striking appearance.
That said, it’s hard to convince visitors a flying bird is an Island Fox without some clever signage—but it’s a wonderful addition to the collection.
Ring-Tailed Lemur
The Ring-Tailed Lemur sports an adorable face and eye-catching striped tail, making it fun to try and envision as a fox substitute.
Still, the differences are clear, and it’s best to leave the tails intact and appreciate the lemur on its own merits.
Toco Toucan
Splashing vibrant color and personality throughout your zoo, the Toco Toucan doesn’t resemble a fox but shines as a charismatic resident all the same.
Admire its feathers without expecting any fox traits underneath.
B-Tier: Some Potential, But Don’t Get Your Hopes Up
With at least one appealing trait, these animals are possible choices, but your hopes should be tempered. Sometimes size or color hold them back, while other times their sheer cuteness gets them a pass.
Asian Small-Clawed Otter
The Asian Small-Clawed Otter nails the cute factor but fails on color and habitat suitability—it’s too aquatic to fit the fox theme well.
Biting tendencies mean it’s best enjoyed safely behind barriers rather than up close.
Axolotl
Even without fur, the Axolotl looks like a living aquatic fluff ball—winning a few points purely for charm.
Still, an Island Fox habitat without an island feels odd, and visitors might be puzzled, but it’s an entertaining choice all the same.
Eurasian Brown Bear
A juvenile Eurasian Brown Bear cub briefly mimics a fox’s fluffiness and size, making it convincing from a distance during its early months.
Once it grows, all resemblance disappears, especially with that bulky tail. Enjoy the cuteness while it lasts.
Golden Lion Tamarin
The Golden Lion Tamarin scores with its small size and thick fur, though color mismatch is a hurdle.
If you’re planning cosmetic alterations to make it fox-like, you’ll need more than just needle and thread for convincing results.
Goodfellow’s Tree-Kangaroo
The Goodfellow’s Tree-Kangaroo is the wild card—it looks vaguely fox-shaped if you squint and remember the real fox only loosely.
It’s a strange fit, more amusing than practical, but worth a look for novelty’s sake.
Grizzly Bear
The Grizzly Bear has cute cubs with plenty of fluff, but the similarity to a fox ends there.
Squint and you might pass a cub for a fox replacement temporarily, but the adult bear’s size makes that impossible.
Mountain Hare
Thanks to its small, furry, and cute stature, the Mountain Hare fits the general vibe, even if it’s not a fox. Sometimes a touch of thematic spirit wins over pure accuracy.
