Bug or intentional: Releasing an animal from a larger enclosure

[girlyrobot]

I've now lost one too many times because of having put a smaller animal into a larger enclosure and then immediately releasing it. The problem is that the game then automatically releases the animal from a smaller enclosure and then I don't have the big enclosure to put my other large animals into. Also true if I put say a 4-size reptile into a 5-enclosure, then build a reptile cage and want to move it in there. The interface will not let me move the 4-reptile from my 5-enclosure if I also have a full 4-enclosure.

Is that a bug or intentionally made?

[Monkeyunit]

This is all intentional.
The game doesnt track which animal was put into which enclosure.

So when you release an animal, you have the option to free the smallest enclosure that could hold that animal.
The same is true for moving it when building reptile house/aviary.

Once you understand this rule, you can (ab)use it in various ways, which is basicly part of the skill set in this game.

The designer confirmed this is working as intented. He felt keeping track of which animal is where wasn't needed so this is the official ruling.

[Tlachtga]

Thanks for the clarification, I’d also been frustrated running into this, not thinking of it as something to take advantage of. Cheers!

[girlyrobot]

Yes indeed, thanks for the clarification! I'll start thinking about taking advantage of it

[daddyotter]

So, to clarify, does the game automatically release an animal from the smallest occupied enclosure it could have been housed in (even if it was actually housed elsewhere) because there is no tracking of animals location?
What is an example of taking advantage of this rule, is there a card which synergises somehow by needing smaller enclosures empty for points?
How does this work with herd animals sharing multiple location, are they in superposition or congregate in one of the areas?

[Tisaac]

So, to clarify, does the game automatically release an animal from the smallest occupied enclosure it could have been housed in (even if it was actually housed elsewhere) because there is no tracking of animals location?
What is an example of taking advantage of this rule, is there a card which synergises somehow by needing smaller enclosures empty for points?
How does this work with herd animals sharing multiple location, are they in superposition or congregate in one of the areas?

The game follow the process described in the glossary, very often leading to an automatic choice indeed.
Since animals are not inside enclosures, herd does not mater at all for this process, which is why you may only empty enclosures in your while still having animals (as also pointed out in the glossary).

[Arrigo II]

So, to clarify, does the game automatically release an animal from the smallest occupied enclosure it could have been housed in (even if it was actually housed elsewhere) because there is no tracking of animals location?
What is an example of taking advantage of this rule, is there a card which synergises somehow by needing smaller enclosures empty for points?
How does this work with herd animals sharing multiple location, are they in superposition or congregate in one of the areas?

Releasing a herd animal is exactly a nice way to "abuse" the rule: you can free an enclosure it didn't even need, and the first herbivore stays in your zoo without occupying any enclosure
Another useful thing is realeasing an animal without rock/water requirement from an enclosure touching water/rock that you used for another guy actually needing those things.