Supporter Spotlight

Malcolm and Nancy Slack during a special wallaby encounter as they celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary.

By Lindsay Jarvis, Staff Writer

Though travelers Malcolm and Nancy Slack have visited zoos across the globe and all seven continents, they’ve developed a special fondness for The Living Desert and its focus on desert animals and plant species. The Rancho Cucamonga, California, residents have been members since 2013 and also support the Zoo through monthly donations and animal adoptions. But perhaps their favorite gift so far is Nancy’s surprise for Malcolm a few Christmases ago, a very ‘fitting’ building adoption at Bighorn Railroad. She chose a tailor shop and aptly named it ‘A Pair of Slacks.’ Nancy shares, “We have fun with our last name of ‘Slack,’ and we tell people that we’re just a pair of slacks.”

After discovering WildLights and Glow in the Park a few years ago, the Slacks have come to enjoy these events as part of their own holiday season, noting that they’re “… just really exceptional to see!” The couple also happened upon a Halloween encounter when the animal care team left pumpkins for the African painted dogs. “That was a really neat, memorable thing [when] we were there at the right time, and it was just so much fun,” says Malcolm. The Slacks love watching all the animals at the Zoo, from the curious meerkats to the pronking springbok, to the tiny naked mole rat. “They have their own cute little charm about them; they’re tough little guys,” says Malcolm.

During their time supporting The Living Desert, Nancy and Malcolm have come to appreciate the close-knit community and relationships built throughout the years. “We just like helping out something that is meaningful but also that is a smaller entity, more personal,” shares Nancy. Malcolm notes that he also loves spotting Allen Monroe, President/CEO, in his animal jackets as he walks around and chats with guests during special events!

Through generous donations like these, The Living Desert is able to provide the highest level of care for our animals and share the unique stories of desert ecosystems with guests every day. You can also help to support The Living Desert with a gift of any amount online at LivingDesert.org/Donate or call 760-346-5694.