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Stay up late with the critters at Noah’s Landing

So, what does it sound like when the sun goes down at Noah’s Landing, a non-profit children’s zoo in central North Carolina?

Think wolf howls, the whispering “whoosh” of bat wings, muntjac deer “barks,” and the occasional scamper of kinkajou paws.

“In many ways, nighttime is when the farm really comes alive,” says Dora Turner, director of Noah’s Landing. “But so often, our guests don’t get to see it. For our nocturnal critters, sundown is when playtime begins.”

Local families will get the chance to peer into the nighttime lives of the farm’s animals on October 23 when the Coats zoo will stay open late as part of its annual Halloween Spooktacular.  (Saturday, October 23 from 1-9 p.m. and Sunday, October 24 from 1-5 p.m.) The two-day event also includes trick-or-treating, a Mad Science Lab, wagon rides, and visiting owls. The festivities will include a special “Legends of the Forest” campfire on Saturday night where kids and parents can huddle around a campfire to hear animal legends.  (Staff hint that a few special animals may also make an appearance during the program, which is scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday.) The cost of admission is $8 per person although discounted advance tickets are available on the zoo’s website.

“We’ve always believed Halloween is the perfect time to host a family event,” says Carie Page, a volunteer who coordinates educational programs at the zoo. “Science is at the core of our mission and it’s a great excuse to pull out slime, magic ink, edible bugs, and other ‘gross’ activities that teach basic science principles.  It’s one of those moments when our own inner kid emerges.”

In fact, most of the zoo’s volunteers and staff will be wearing their own costumes and standing by each exhibit to hand out candy to visitors.  Kids are encouraged to come in costume with their trick-or-treating bags or make their own bags at a decorating station.

“Although we aren’t targeting Halloween this year, we are hoping that families will see this as a safe opportunity to trick-or-treat with some unusual critters,” says Turner. Turner suggests that families plan to come during the day to feed animals such as the donkeys, llamas, and zebra and see the zoo’s daytime critters. They can either stay until the sun sets or return later that evening for the campfire and nighttime viewings. Flashlights are recommended.

To keep kids entertained throughout the day, the zoo will offer a “Mad Science Lab” where they can create slime, worms, and “howling” balloons as well as a “Creepy Crawlie Diner” where families can munch on cricket cookies, mealworm mix, and dung beetle paste. Kids can get temporary tattoos, meet owls on display from the Wildlife Rescue Center in Sanford, or pile into a wagon for a ride through the “Graveyard of Extinct Species.” (The wagon rides, operated by Jenkins Place, do require an additional fee.)

“All in all, we’re just hoping that everyone will find something to do. Even without all the activities, there are still plenty of animals to meet,” says Page.

The zoo’s herd currently includes more than 60 species of animals, including a two-toed sloth, African crested porcupines, ring-tailed lemurs, and a wallaby. Guests will be able to feed carrots to hoofstock and volunteers will be taking out “kid-friendly” animals throughout the day for visitors to see and touch.

In addition to special events, the zoo provides field trips to local schools, classroom programs, and a “mobile nature center” that sets up at local events. In the summer, kids can participate in the zoo’s “Junior Zookeeper Camp” (www.juniorzookeeper.com) and, in the spring, families can join the farm for special celebrations around Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Labor Day weekend.

For more information about Noah’s Landing or the Halloween Spooktacular, visit: www.noahslanding2x2.com.

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The Noah’s Landing Halloween Spooktacular
Saturday, October 23 | 1-9 p.m.
Sunday, October 24 | 1-5 p.m.
Admission: $8/person (Discount tickets available online.)

Located at 1489 Live Oak Road in Coats, NC. Approximately 45 minutes east of Raleigh.

The superstart of the Operation Kangaroo Roundup. These volunteers spotted Sydney in the bushes at SunTrust bank and helped gather volunteers to encircle him: (from left to righ) Scott McLamb (Dunn EMS Paramedic), Charity Brown, and Capt Randy Brown (Erwin Fire & Rescue).

Sydney the wallaby stands a rather unassuming 3 feet tall but, as many of our friends and volunteers at the zoo know, his exploits are often larger than life!

(Don’t believe us — read about his antics last year: http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/5488761/)

On Saturday, Sydney hopped into the limelight again when he escaped from the Noah’s Landing booth at Erwin Denim Days. For this annual event, Noah’s Landing sets up a hands-on display with live critters and volunteers so local kids and families can learn about some of our most “kid-friendly” creatures. During the morning set up, Sydney managed to pry apart the back wall of his heavy-duty metal enclosure. As soon as he was spotted by volunteers, he darted into the festival grounds.

Immediately, volunteers leapt into pursuit while others began notifying local officials. Within 20 minutes, Sydney disappeared from sight as he headed into the streets and neighborhoods behind Erwin’s downtown.

(It might seem hard to believe but adult wallabies can hop at speeds of more than 30 mph! Watching Sydney take off at full speed through Erwin’s streets would have been awe-inspiring if we hadn’t been so terrified!)

As the festival began, local fire officials and police officers hopped onto golf carts for what they dubbed “Operation Kangaroo Roundup.” In a moment of sheer luck, one of the officers suggested to his colleagues that they should search the bushes behind the Sun Trust bank. (Which was directly across the street from the Noah’s Landing booth.) As they arrived, luck prevailed again as a Noah’s Landing staff member joined them to hand out details and instructions if Sydney was spotted. They immediately pointed out that Sydney was trying his best to “blend in” behind the bank’s bushes.

Within minute, a group of volunteers, fire and police officers, and local citizens created a tight perimeter around the wallaby. As they closed in, volunteer Joanne Creswell slowly reached out and grabbed his tail. (The strongest part of his body.) Within seconds, “Operation Kangaroo Rescue” can to a quick and safe conclusion.

It had been 50 minutes.

The fact that Sydney was captured quickly and without injury is a testament to the kindness and quick thinking of the people of Erwin. Countless ordinary citizens – who no doubt had never even heard of Noah’s Landing – hopped into trucks to patrol for Sydney or offered their services. Word of Sydney’s escape was quickly transmitted over the radio and through walkie talkies so all festival-goers could stay alert and notify authorities. As ridiculous as it might has sounded when it came across their radios, local police and fire officers took to task without question and immediately laid out a plan and organized a search party.

We have always felt proud to be a part of Harnett County but couldn’t have felt prouder than the moment we opened the carrier door and Sydney hopped (safely) back into his enclosure at the zoo. A heartfelt thank you to all the people of Erwin who were good humored and kind as Saturday’s events unfolded.

As for Sydney, he’s not leaving the zoo anytime soon.

Image courtesy Jon Page.

This fall, we’re delighted to take our show on the road to bring our critters to local fairs and festivals. On these days, the farm will be closed for public tours. However, we encourage you to visit us at these free family events!

September 18
Knightdale Community Day (Harper Park)

October 2
Erwin Denim Days
Fox 50 Family Fest

November 6
Dunn Cotton Festival

We hope to see you there!

This annual event features bluegrass, barbecue, and kid-friendly activities. This year, families were treated to tunes from Donald Clayton and company, wagon rides from Jenkin’s Place, and the release of a red-shouldered hawk by the Wildlife Rescue Center.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who visited and made this event such a success!

Photo courtesy Kay Welser (2010 Intern)

Noah’s Landing is currently seeking a few good high school and college students to add to our fleet!

This fall, we will be offering 10 internships for youth ages 15 and older. Noah’s Landing internships are unpaid and designed to introduce students to the daily responsibilities of animal care and educational outreach. We think they are a fantastic opportunity for those looking for a steady volunteer commitment and a chance to go “behind the scenes” with our critters!

For more details and to apply, visit: http://www.noahslanding2x2.com/intern.html.

Guests will have an opportunity to see raptors from the non-profit in Sanford and to witness the release of a red-shouldered hawk.

It’s almost time for our favorite special event!

This Labor Day weekend, families can kick back for a little “staycation” with our critters. During “Blue and ‘Cue at the Zoo,” families can tour the farm at their leisure, stopping to hear about our critters from volunteers and trained guides. We’ll also be hosting a series of special activities throughout the weekend — crafts and a moon bounce for the kids and bluegrass music and barbecue plates for the whole family. We’ll also welcome our friends from Jenkin’s Place for wagon rides and the raptors from the Wildlife Rescue Center.

As a special treat, the WRC will be releasing a red-shouldered hawk on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.!

More details: http://www.noahslanding2x2.com/BlueCue.html

We’re delighted to report that we have a new baby Patagonian cavy and an African crested porcupine scampering about the farm! The cavy was discovered by our Junior Explorers during summer camp and the porcupine arrived a few days later. It’s been so much fun to watch the cavies create a “burrow” to house their baby and to watch our little spiky friend shake his quills like a rattlesnake!

This summer, Noah’s Landing is offering a special opportunity for kids from 12-14… Zoo Teens Camp! During this weeklong camp, kids will have a chance to volunteer with our animals while learning about what it takes to care for exotic animals in captivity. The week will include a visit to the Duke Lemur Center and a canoe trip with a local wildlife officer. Throughout the week, the campers will work on a special group project — developing short videos for our new “Zoo Tails” series on YouTube. (More details: http://www.juniorzookeeper.com)

See our first attempt and check back soon to see their work!

On days when the heat index climbs above 95 degrees, we do not recommend visiting the farm. We never like to turn people away but want to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests, our guides, and, especially, our animals. Why the concern? Only one-quarter of our animals are housed in an air conditioned building. That means lots of walking and lots of exposure to the heat for our guests. And it also means we have to stir our critters from the shade for feeding or handling. And we certainly want to do all we can to help them keep their cool!

Fingers crossed for a quick return to cooler temps…..

We hope to see many of you there!