ZAWA is a mod that adds tamable animal mobs with realistic behavior, animations and care needs, with real-life animal conservation and science information so players – young and old – can learn while they play.
The animal catching, caring and conservation mod from 1.12 is back – in the new Evolved version, building your dream zoo will be better than ever! Do you have what it takes to collect – and properly care for – every animal in your Minecraft world?
ZAWA has been recoded from the ground up, with new diets, sizes, breeding and husbandry mechanics, a new capture system, and a clean new style. Evolved adds even more new animals to keep even the most seasoned players and builders on their toes. ZAWA is built for solo, multiplayer, survival and creative gameplay alike, and is balanced and accessible no matter what you or your server members are looking for. Use new blocks, items and entities to catch, build for, and care for lifelike, loveable and realistic animals and breed, trade and compete with friends.
**Have questions? Want to research ZAWA before jumping in? Give our [wiki](https://github.com/ZAWA-Evolved/ZAWA/wiki) a look.**
**Engage with other aspiring zookeepers – join our [discord](https://discord.gg/jqJyUwD4Bb)!**
[Check out our ZAWA: Evolved style GUI and HUD resource pack!](https://modrinth.com/resourcepack/zawa-evolved-gui-dark-mode)
Spoiler
**Decorative blocks**
These blocks will make your zoo look as good as it can be!
18 animal plush blocks – Less bitey, screamy, hungry versions of ZAWA’s lovable critters. Collect them all for a reward!
Acrylic fence (+block, slab, door, trapdoor) – Thin, modern black fencing for aviaries etcetera.
Animal plaque – A fancy sign block with a secondary text input, seen on right-clicking. Great for adding more information to animal signs. Edit existing signs with a feather.
Bamboo block (+slab, stairs, fence, fence gate, door, trapdoor) – Eco-friendly, renewable decor blocks crafted from vanilla bamboo.
Bench – A comfy, classic wooden bench for your guests. Craftable in all wood types.
Black bamboo block (+slab, stairs, fence, fence gate, door, trapdoor) – Eco-friendly, renewable decor blocks crafted from striking black bamboo.
Bug box – Using “fuel,” farms insects for animal (and player?) feed.
Cable fence – Decorative barrier block with matching gate.
Concrete bench – Craftable in all 16 dye colors.
Concrete table – Craftable in all 16 dye colors.
Dark paving stone (+slab, stairs) – Cool, clean bricks set into modern black concrete.
Exhibit glass – Translucent glass, with pane placed on edge of a block.
Incubator – Runs on charcoal, used to up the spawn chances from eggs laid by your animals.
Light paving stone (+slab, stairs) – Warm, bright bricks set into cheery white concrete.
Mixed mossy stone (+slab, stairs, wall) – See below.
Mixed stone (+slab, stairs, wall) – A clean, modern stone block with horizontal layers.
Mulch – A wood-based block that acts like dirt or grass. Plant plants, grow trees, go nuts! Craftable in all overworld wood types.
Mussel box – Using “fuel”, farms shellfish for animal and player feed.
Picnic table – A matching picnic table for your benches. Craftable in all wood types.
River stone (+slab, stairs, wall) – Round, soft river stones.
Rope fence – 1.5 block tall fence with a nautical rope look.
Rotting log – A hollow log for animals to climb, crawl on, or cuddle up into. Craftable in all overworld wood types.
Steel fence (+block, slab, door, trapdoor) – Thick, traditional steel bars for new and old zoos alike.
Thatch (+slab, stairs, fence, fence gate, door, trapdoor) – Decorative blocks with a tropical thatch theme.
Waste bin – Decorative block in all wood types.
Wire fence (+block, slab, door, trapdoor) – Thin, chain link fencing for good visibility and better security.
Yellow bamboo block – Eco-friendly, renewable decor blocks crafted from dry yellow bamboo.
Zoo fence (+block, slab, door, trapdoor) – Green-painted steel bars for a bright, colorful zoo look.
**Feeders**
These blocks are used to provide food and water to animals. All feeders can accept all types of food, but some will only render certain ones. All feeders can also take water. When food is placed in a feeder, it will deplete when an animal eats, but water will not. All animals can use all feeder blocks, as long as they can reach them!
Food bowl – A metal food bowl, with a rubber rim for stability.
Metal trough – Connecting metal troughs with connecting inventory.
Pedestal feeder – A stone pedestal with a special rendering model for fruit. Could also be used as a bird bath!
Stone bowl – A small stone bowl.
Stone trough – Connecting stone toughs with connecting inventory.
Underwater feeder – A feeder block used for swimming creatures.
Wall bowl – A wall-mounted bowl, for very tall animals, or arboreal critters.
Wall forage – A wire-fronted foraging fixture for herbivorous animals. Renders foliage and grain-type foods. Can be crafted in all wood types.
**Animal Enrichment**
Animals use these blocks to keep themselves happy. Make sure you check which ones each animal uses in the data book!
Branch – Connector-type block. Connects to sturdy block faces. Can be climbed by some animals. Renders with random branching pieces – don’t like what you got? Break it and try again!
Climbing vine – Connector-type block. Connects to sturdy block faces. Can be climbed by some animals. Renders with random tendrils and leaves.
Hay browse – A wicker ball full of tasty forage. Gives enrichment to animals that come into contact with it.
Heat lamp – Light-generating block that gives enrichment to animals within radius.
Heat rock – “Heat” generating block that gives enrichment to animals that come into contact with it.
Leaf browse – A wicker ball full of fresh foliage. Gives enrichment to animals that come into contact with it.
Perching stand – 1.5 block tall perch used by birds.
Puzzle feeder – Currently missing functionality.
Rope – Connector-type block. Connects to sturdy block faces. Can be climbed by some animals.
Salt lick – Big block of that fancy Himalayan salt your parents buy, for animals to lick. Gives enrichment to animals that come into contact with it. Depletes over time.
Scratching post – Rope-wrapped post used for scratching, grooming and rubbing by animals. Gives enrichment to animals that come into contact with it. Can be climbed by some animals.
Tire swing – A tire swing for animals to climb and play on. Gives enrichment to animals that come into contact with it. Multi-orientation block – place it on the side of a block for one configuration, or on the top/bottom for another!
**Plants**
Plants generate naturally in the world, and are great for making any exhibit or pathway natural.
**Terrestrial plants**
Agavoid – Placeable on desert blocks.
Arctic moss – Placeable on dirt-type blocks.
Arctic poppy – Placeable on dirt-type blocks.
Eucalyptus – Placeable on dirt-type blocks. Can be harvested with shears for 1-3 Eucalyptus. Can be crafted with 6 Eucalyptus.
Fan palm – Placeable on dirt-type blocks.
Golden barrel cactus – Placeable on desert blocks.
Johnson grass – Placeable on dirt-type blocks.
Kochia – Placeable on desert blocks.
Peach flower – Placeable on dirt-type blocks.
Prickly pear cactus – Placeable on desert blocks. Can be harvested with shears for 1-3 Prickly Pear. Can be crafted with 6 Prickly Pear.
Red bromeliad – Placeable on dirt-type blocks.
Violet – Placeable on dirt-type blocks.
Yellow bromeliad – Placeable on dirt-type blocks.
**Aquatic plants**
Amazon sword – Freshwater aquatic plant.
Brain coral – Saltwater coral.
Branch coral – Saltwater coral.
Condy anemone – Saltwater marine animal.
Coral plates – Saltwater coral.
Coral rocks – Saltwater coral.
Duckweed – Freshwater floating plant. 3 water coverage variants.
Hornwort – Freshwater aquatic plant.
Java moss – Freshwater aquatic plant. 2 size variants.
Purple sea urchin – Saltwater marine animal.
Red myrio – Freshwater aquatic plant.
Red root floater – Freshwater floating plant.
Staghorn coral – Saltwater coral.
Striped colonial anemone – Saltwater marine animal.
Tropical sea anemone – Saltwater marine animal.
Turtle grass – Saltwater aquatic plant.
Water hawthorne – Freshwater floating plant.
Water hyacinth – Freshwater floating plant. 2 texture variants.
Water lettuce – Freshwater floating plant.
Spoiler
**Kibbles**
Kibbles are special items used to tame animals. They can also give instant food points to already-tamed animals, so they don’t clutter up your inventory.
Carnivore kibble – A pelleted diet for meat-eating animals.
Herbivore kibble – A pelleted diet for plant-eating animals.
Insectivore kibble – A pelleted diet for insect-eating animals.
Omnivore kibble – A pelleted diet for opportunistic eaters.
Piscivore kibble – A pelleted diet for fish-eating animals.
Shellfish kibble – A pelleted diet for shellfish-eating animals.
**Animal enrichment**
Apple ice treat – Tasty fruit in a block of ice. A slow-melting treat for herbivorous animals who come into contact with, or finally break it.
Beef ice treat – Succulent meat in a block of ice. A slow-melting treat for carnivorous animals who come into contact with, or finally break it.
Boomer ball – A large, buoyant and bouncy toy ball for large animals. Moves and rolls when hit by a player of animal, for hours of fun. Gives enrichment to animals who come into contact with it.
Scented ball – A small, buoyant and bouncy toy ball for smaller animals. Moves and rolls when hit by a player or animal, for hours of fun. Gives enrichment to animals who come into contact with it.
**Animal capture**
Capture cage – A sturdy, safe transport cage for zoo animals of all sizes and temperaments. Either lure in a large animal, or just pick up a little guy and toss him in! When you’ve caught an animal, break the block and carry it with you for easy transport, then place it down and right-click to release.
Capture net – A net on a stick used for catching ambient, tiny, small and medium-sized animals. Left-click an animal to catch, right-click to release. Deals a small amount of damage to the animal on release. Be careful, the animal might be angry once released!
Handling glove – An item used to pick up and hold dangerous animals. Equip in the off-hand and pick up ambient, tiny or small animals that would otherwise bite or sting for safe transport.
Net gun and Sling Net – A net gun to catch skittish, fast-moving or flying animals. Load a net into the chamber, right-click to fire, and collect what you caught! Right-click the ground with a full sling net to release the animal.
Seine net – A net to catch and transport aquatic animals. Place it in the water, lure or chase an animal in, and once it’s captured, break the block to carry them.
**Other**
Animal data book – A vital item for animal care. When right clicking a wild animal, shows its basic stats and information you’ll need to catch and care for it. When right clicking a tame animal, shows all of its important attributes, its diet, and what enrichment it can use. NOTE: Data book is currently missing a lot of GUI functionality, so hold tight!
Clams – Sustainable shellfish. Can be farmed in the mussel box with kelp. Can be cooked and eaten.
Collectible insects – Insect drops from ambient mobs. Can be collected and framed, or eaten by animals.
Earthworm – Alternative protein source. Can be farmed in the bug box with veggies, seeds or wheat. Can be eaten… if you’re into that.
Eucalyptus – Tender, fresh eucalyptus branches, for picky herbivores.
Fish – Fish drops from ambient mobs. Can be collected and framed, or eaten.
Fish buckets – Fish in buckets.
Mealworms – Alternative protein source. Can be farmed in the bug box with carrots and potatoes. Can be eaten… if you’re into that.
Mussels – Sustainable shellfish. Can be farmed in the mussel box with kelp. Can be cooked and eaten.
Prickly pear – Sweet, refreshing cactus fruit, edible by animals… and players, so chow down!
Rat – A feeder animal item. Currently not farmable.
Shrimp – Sustainable shellfish. Can be farmed in the mussel box with seeds. Can be cooked and eaten.
Target stick – Currently missing functionality.
Termites – Alternative protein source. Can be farmed in the bug box with veggies, seeds or wheat. Can be eaten… if you’re into that.
Interested in helping translate the mod? Please submit a pull request with your language file directly to the [public github’s /lang folder](https://github.com/ZAWA-Evolved/ZAWA/tree/main/lang). As long as everything checks out, it will be included in the next update. Thank you!