In the distant future, when overpopulation has cut down natural areas to mere shadows of their former selves, humanity has conquered nearly every terrestrial surface and built upon it whenever possible. Cities can span from coast to coast in some areas, and even rural areas are rare in general with the still-climbing population of the globe. Wild species face more threats now than ever. However, with newer clean energy sources emerging, global warming is no longer much of an issue, and scientists have been able to save many species from extinction and get their DNA in case something were to ever happen to these species. Using a female base animal, scientists can now use the DNA and sex cells of a similar species to cause the base to produce young of another species. The process is repeated with other sex cells and other bases to produce other individuals. These animals can then be cloned themselves to create copies, with, which genetic editing, can be given the ability to reproduce themselves and produce fertile offspring without the risk of inbreeding. This process has been used to save many species from extinction and has proven quite effective in the long run, though some still protest about the ethicality of such a method. Zoos & safari parks have actually seen massive increases in attendance numbers. Because they are often the only place people can see semi-wild animals anymore within crowded cities, they draw millions of visitors each year, particularly with the more well known institutions such as the San Diego Zoo & Safari Park and the Georgia Aquarium. However, with the advance of cloning, a new kind of animal holding facility cropped up, one that seemingly is as close to replicating natural ecosystems as possible and draws in a more specialized crowd. They are called ecoparks, and they mix traits of a zoo, safari park, and a natural ecosystem together. They are the only institutions that can fully recreate ecosystems and allow predation within their borders by other species in many cases, having little to no barriers between species that can possibly pose threats to each other. The emergence of these parks caused quite a buzz. The most immediate reaction was protests, at the parks themselves, online, and in news conferences. People said that animals shouldn’t be forced to chase down and prey on others or fight for survival for human entertainment and amusement, and they were at first compared to coliseum fights when exotic animals were killed for sport. However, the mission of the ecoparks soon became clear; they were not slaughtering animals for the public. They were simply allowing a process that had not been allowed or witnessed in a very long time: predation. They were just as respectable as any zoo or aquarium and kept their facilities in tip-top shape, and all animals were cloned, meaning that there was no threat to the “wild” stock. This also meant the facilities could create new animals to keep the ecosystem stable if need be. The ecoparks are often quite large and offered and continue to offer guided tours, safaris (using vehicles for the larger ones and those with predators), and some unique experiences like scuba diving or snorkeling within the parks. Many specialized in a specific environment or habitat on planet Earth that they then replicated with as much detail as was feasible. So, your challenge is to create an ecopark! It can be outside or inside, covered or not, but you have to: 1. Say how the ecopark plans to contain all the species somehow, whether by wing-clipping or other methods 2. Give the ecopark’s location and size and if it is indoor or outdoor 3. Give a basic description of the habitats within it, water features, any important landmarks 4. Explain how guests will view the animals (by jeep, bridges, etc.) 5. Give a list of species (presume that there will already be the usual beetles, worms, ants, etc., but you can include particular invertebrates) 6. Give some notable plant species if there are any you know 7. If there are machines that create artificial rainfall in a rainforest or generate waves in an aquatic biome, explain a bit about them 8. If you have predators that can pose a threat to guests, explain how you will protect your visitors (elevation, vehicles, etc.) I will assign you a biome and you can create the rest! Have fun, and I look forward to seeing what people come up with! - Crotalus
