Roanoke Valley residents can now check out explorer backpacks for Mill Mountain Zoo

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - If you’re staying local this holiday weekend, and you’re looking for a family fun activity, you can now pick up Mill Mountain Zoo Animal Explorer Backpacks.

Each backpack focuses on an animal, and has a free family pass to the zoo, a pair of binoculars and wildlife guides. Available backpack topics are red pandas, snakes, red foxes, snow leopards, birds and insects.

There will be one pack available at each Roanoke Public Library location in the city. Backpacks cannot be placed on hold.

The partnership between the zoo and library is encouraging families to really engage with some of the animals.