The Ultimate Challenge.
June-July, Year SixThe latter half of June started largely uneventfully, as I wondered how we were going to manage to turn enough of a profit to not get trapped in a debt loop. Things weren't looking promising. I was even considering desperate moves such as selling the extinct research lab, the compost building, and maybe the dolphin show to temporarily raise enough money to complete the last of our goals. It was at that point that the Animal Hygiene Association returned with the best challenge we could ever hope to get.
$107,450 to keep all of our 307 animals clean for a month. Not only does our ability to stop time and sort the animals by cleanliness level in the lists make this easier, but they count all of our animals to determine the reward and crocodiles keep themselves clean by swimming. For all the inconveniences they cause, sometimes maintaining the croc army really pays off.
Got a cool shot of the Deinosuchus basking on the shore.
While keeping our animals clean, I noticed that the jeeps hadn't moved in a while. Turns out the crocodiles were keeping them stuck on the road, semipermanently unable to move without running them over. Inside were three guests, each with all their needs in the red.
No telling how long they've been stuck in the crocodile swamp. Bare minimum is two months, based on the lack of donations at the station. Probably quite a bit longer. At least they think it's still a pretty good tour on the whole.
Amusingly, there are still guests waiting in line at the station.
We moved the crocodiles out of the way to allow them to escape. The first car had run off the road and required that we manually rescue the guests, but the second one was able to finally complete its route. Starving, dehydrated, and exhausted, but finally free, Jim Meston walked among humans again for the first time in months. He gave us a $200 donation for the ride.
Several more guests immediately got on the jeep, but we stopped them. Best to keep the tour closed until we can get it running safely again or replace it. Maybe another sky tram, so the crocodiles can't block the cars?
Our keepers remain ahead of the competition.
After a full month of near-continuously teleporting around the zoo and brushing animals, we achieved victory.
Yelp reviews for the "Stuck in an immobile car surrounded by crocodiles in the Everglades summer for months" tour.