Wildlife biologist Tim Coonan has led Channel Islands National Park’s successful recovery program for the endangered island foxes since 1999. Hear his presentation “Saving the Island Fox” on Thursday, July 26 at 6:00 p.m. at the Museum of Ventura County. Admission to the lecture is $5 for the general public, free for members, and includes entry to all exhibit galleries until 8:00 p.m. To RSVP call 805-653-0323 x 7.

Threatened with extinction by non-native predators and diseases, the endangered island fox has for a number of years been the object of intense recovery methods such as captive breeding and reintroduction. Coonan details in his presentation just how and why fox populations on almost all the Channel Islands have now recovered to pre-decline levels.

Coonan has studied island foxes for 20 years, and in 2010 he co-authored a book on their decline and recovery. Coonan is also currently president of the board of trustees of the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy. Prior to his present work at Channel Islands National Park, he was at Death Valley National Park, where he studied bighorn sheep and desert pupfish.

The Museum of Ventura County is located at 100 East Main Street in downtown Ventura. Hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission to the exhibitions is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, members and children under 6 are free. The first Sundays of every month are free general admission for the public. For more museum information go to www.venturamuseum.org or call 805-653-0323.