Noah's landing's female marmoset is pregnant and they're watching each day to see if she delivers. Marmosets can have anywhere from a single baby to triplets which they will carry on their back. As the babies get older, the fathers and siblings will take part in child care. (Sounds like a good reason to celebrate dads next weekend!) contributed

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Tired of adding to dad’s cologne collection each Father’s Day?

The animals at Noah’s Landing, a non-profit zoo in Coats, have a solution. The zoo will be offering half-priced admission for dads and a host of family-friendly activities for their annual “Father’s Day Fest” on June 16-17. They are also encouraging dads to bring in their partially used and empty bottles of cologne and aftershave in exchange for a coupon for future half-priced admission.

Why the need for smelly bottles?

Many of the zoo’s animals – which include monkeys, raccoons, and lemurs – love following their nose to uncover new smells. The zoo’s volunteers can use empty cologne and aftershave bottles to make toys and enrichment that challenge animals throughout the year.

“For us, this is a chance to celebrate our local dads while providing our animals with new treats,” says Noah’s Landing Director Dora Turner. Turner said the zoo was inspired by similar efforts at other zoos around the country. “For us, it’s win-win. Kids can treat dad to a day at the zoo and we can treat our critters to a new experience.”

The Father’s Day event, one of the rare times visitors can tour the zoo on their own, will feature guest owls from the Wildlife Rescue Center in Sanford and special activities for kids including a ZooToo parlor, a station where kids can make Hand-i-mal paintings, and family-friendly games. On Saturday, volunteers from the North Carolina State University Entomology Club will be discussing and showcasing arthropods and invertebrates.

Frequent visitors will also have the opportunity to meet the zoo’s latest arrival, a young fennec fox pup named “Ramses” whose giant ears help him cool down in the summer heat.

Throughout the weekend, zoo volunteers and “Junior Zookeepers” will be standing by to help guests feed hoofstock like the zebra and interact with kid-friendly animals such as bearded dragons, hedgehogs, a hairy armadillo, and singing dogs.

“These events are a great time for younger visitors to come to the zoo,” says Carie Page, a volunteer who coordinates special events at the zoo. “They can take their time watching and meeting the animals and break up the day with the moonbounce or crafts.”

Throughout the year the zoo delivers education through field trips, birthday parties, weekend tours, and classroom programs that teach biodiversity, environmental education, and animal science. Each summer, the zoo also offers a hands-on “Junior Zookeeper” camp for kids from 6-14 years old.

The zoo currently houses more than 60 species of animals, including coatimundi, African crested porcupines, African crowned crane, and a wallaby.

For more information about Noah’s Landing or the Father’s Day Fest, visit: http://noahslanding2x2.com