"Date with a Fox" - Holly Gamblin and Arctic Fox Research

Join Friends of the Island Fox for 

"Date with a Fox" on Zoom

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

with PhD candidate Holly Gamblin

 

In this "Date with a Fox," Holly Gamblin will share her research titled "Changing biomes: Implications of a rapidly shifting landscape on Arctic fox dynamics." 

 

Holly Gamblin is a PhD Candidate at the University of Manitoba in the Biological Sciences Department, and her thesis examines the impacts of climate change on Arctic foxes. Holly's previous position as the Island Fox Project Manager on San Clemente Island inspired her to pursue this research, as the Channel Island fox conservation story demonstrates the importance of evaluating the impacts of a novel species at the community level.

Holly overseeing island fox health checks on San Clemente Island

 

On the Channel Islands, feral pigs facilitated the presence of golden eagles in unprecedented densities. Feral pig eradication led to a rapid reduction of prey resources for golden eagles and contributed to  hyperpredation of three island fox subspecies. Island foxes on Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Islands faced near extirpation in less than ten years.

Island fox on Santa Rosa Island

 

This "out of the frying pan and into the fire" invasive management scenario illustrates the importance of taking a holistic approach to invasion ecology that incorporates a broader understanding of food-web dynamics and the cascading effects that may occur at a biological community level. With the recent expansion of red foxes from the boreal forest onto the tundra, the Arctic fox serves as an excellent study species for examining a species-level response to the arrival of an ecologically similar competitor. 

 

Holly's research takes a species-level approach to investigate patterns of space use, niche partitioning, and competition, as the arrival of a novel species, whether through range expansion or an invasion, can have cascading effects that extend to the community level. Holly will share how her role on the Channel Islands inspired her to pursue research in the Arctic, discussing how the expansion of red foxes onto the tundra and a reduction in sea ice availability may impact Arctic fox persistence. 

For more on Arctic foxes compared to island foxes 

Holly Gamblin "Date with a Fox" about San Clemente Island Foxes 

"Date with a Fox" on Island Fox Health Checks

 Join Friends of the Island Fox for:

 "Date with a Fox"

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026

6:30 pm PT 

with Jessica Sanchez, DVM

Island Fox Health Checks: From Exam to Research 

• How are wild island foxes handled during annual health checks?
• What data determines a healthy island fox?
• What measures are taken to safeguard island fox health into the future?
•  How do island foxes contribute to ongoing research investigating their health, diet, and relationship to island ecology?

In this online Zoom program, FIF Board member and wildlife veterinarian Jessica Sanchez will take us through the steps of an island fox health check. She'll detail why each step is important and give the inside scoop on what a day performing health checks is really like. See the program video below:  

 

"Date with a Fox" - Sylvie's Story

Do you remember this island fox?

In the Fall of 2023 this young female island fox was found injured on San Nicolas Island. Her story demonstrates the power of people working together toward a positive goal. Federal and state governmental agencies, biologists, zoos, private individuals, and Friends of the Island Fox donors, all came together to give this island fox a second chance.

See the virtual program  

Date with a Fox - Sylvie's Story

Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025

Link to a Japanese translation of this video program - courtesy of Takao Ono

We heard from the team that found Sylvie and made all of the necessary connections to facilitate her transfer to the mainland.

Francesca Ferrara, Natural Resource Specialist, Naval Base Ventura County

Robyn Powers, consulting biologist, SWCA Environmental Consulting 

V.P. of Animal Care and Health at the Santa Barbara Zoo, veterinarian Julie Barnes detailed the medical efforts that were needed to treat Sylvie's injured foot. You'll see the results from the orthopedic surgery that donors like you helped to pay for.

How is Sylvie today? 

 

Living Desert Animal Care Curator, Heather Down, updates us on Sylvie's recovery. 

FIF is Thankful for donors like you that helped to make this successful story possible.  

Celebrating 20 Years of Island Fox Conservation and Looking to the Future

Pat Meyer meets Jane Goodall in 2006

 

Friends of the Island Fox (FIF) was founded in 2005, when Channel Island foxes were critically endangered on four islands.

See a short history of the organization presented during our August "Date with a Fox" on-line program and hear from FIF Board member Justin Purnell about a fieldwork study program for high school students that provides a personal experience with the island ecosystem.

 

Friends of the Island Fox is partnering with the Field Studies Cooperative to provide more students with this life-changing opportunity. 

 

"Date with a Fox" - Investigating Causes of Death in Island Foxes

Join Friends of the Island Fox for an insightful look into island fox health with veterinary pathologist, Leslie Woods, Ph.D. 

"Date with a Fox" Zoom Program

Mortalities in the Channel Island Fox 

(Urocyon littoralis)

The important role of postmortem examinations

Tuesday, March 18 at 6:30 pm PT

 

Leslie Woods, Professor Emerita of the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory at the School of Veterinary Medicine at U.C. Davis has been investing island fox health since 2010.

Though retired, she continues to teach and performs all of the necropsies on island foxes.

What are the current health threats to island foxes? Why is it important to evaluate cause of death for wild animals? Professor Woods is a wonderful teacher and a true detective. 

Watch Recorded Video Program

(Be advised this program contains images of dead island foxes and bodily organs. Examination to determine cause of death is important, but the subject may not appeal to all viewers.)

Professor Wood's work provides factual scientific evidence so land managers can make informed decisions to help keep island fox populations healthy and safe.

 

Date with a Fox - "Lewis" of the Santa Barbara Zoo

 

Meet Lewis at the Santa Barbara Zoo! 

In September, FIF and Santa Barbara Zoo Animal Care Staff did a live talk via ZooLife with a video camera watching Lewis in his habitat.

If you missed this daytime event, you an still see Lewis in action.

How do zoos care for these tiny predators? How do they encourage natural behaviors?

Watch FIF & 

Animal Care Staff from the Santa Barbara Zoo for

"Date with a Fox"

"Date with a Fox" is FIF's quarterly FREE virtual program (Past "Date with a Fox" programs).

You'll hear directly from the folks that care for Lewis and you'll be able to see him active in his habitat.

 

 Remember this Island Fox Face?

"Sylvie," the San Nicolas Island fox was injured and required special orthopedic surgery nearly a year ago. In June, she found a permanent home at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Springs. Watch the video of her introduction to Beau, a senior citizen island fox from San Clemente Island. Sylvie is spayed and they are a companion pair.

Your donations made her recovery possible.

Date With A Fox - Island Fox Research with Juliann Schamel and Dr. Alexandria DeCandia

Friends of the Island Fox's Virtual Program on current island fox research.

"Date With A Fox"

with guests Juliann Schamel and Dr. Alexandra DeCandia

from Tuesday, April 30th

The April program highlighted current findings on island fox diet and microbiome. Microbiome investigations can help us understand how island foxes and island spotted skunks are using resources in the island ecosystem. Dietary investigations analyzing stable isotopes in whisker samples are revealing changes in island fox diet as their population size recovers and potential resource competition with island spotted skunks. 

Both research presenters are past recipients of Friends of the Island Fox Research Grants.

 

 

 

Dr. Alexandra DeCandia is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Biology Dept. at Georgetown University and works with the Center for Conservation Genomics at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Her work has been published in Molecular Ecology and she is currently working on a joint project with Juliann Schamel supported by Friends of the Island Fox.

 

Juliann Schamel is a Biological Science Technician working with island foxes at Channel Islands National Park and a graduate student in ecology and conservation at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Her work has been published in PLOS ONE and she presented a poster on island fox and island spotted skunk dietary overlap at the California Island Symposium. 

Informed conservation decisions for island foxes and island spotted skunks depend on scientific knowledge.

Friends of the Island Fox is currently 

accepting applications for our 2024 FIF Research Grant.

Subscribe to the FIF bi-monthly e-newsletter for invitations to upcoming "Date with a Fox" presentations.

Date With A Fox - Tim Coonan, Biologist

 Join Friends of the Island Fox for a Virtual Event !

"Date with a Fox" 

with guest Tim Coonan

Tuesday, December 5 

6:30 - 7:30 pm Pacific Time on Zoom

Tim Coonan is the retired Senior Biologist for Channel Islands National Park. He documented the mysterious decline of island foxes across the northern Channel Islands and uncovered that golden eagles had colonized the islands and were unexpectedly preying on island foxes. 

How were the decisions made to bring island foxes into captive breeding? What steps had to be taken to restore the ecosystem so that island foxes could return into the wild and recover their populations? Tim Coonan was there when only 15 individual island foxes remained on San Miguel Island and four populations were listed as Endangered Species. 

He released the last captive island foxes back into the wild and is the co-author of "Decline and Recovery of the Island Fox." 

Join FIF for an intimate conversation with Tim Coonan and a chance to ask your questions about island foxes.

 

Virtual Program: How Microbes Influence Island Fox Health and Understanding Island Spotted Skunks

 Join Friends of the Island Fox for a virtual

"Date with a Fox"

Tuesday, January 31 at 6:30–7:30 pm (Pacific Time)

on Zoom

Hear directly from researchers investigating island fox health and biologists working in the field on the Channel Islands.

Jasmine Lu became acquainted with Channel Island foxes while working on her senior thesis at Princeton under the guidance of Alexandra DeCandia, Ph.D. Their work investigated how mite infection can destabilize the microbial community structure in the ear canals of Santa Catalina Island foxes. Their findings have recently been published in the journal Molecular Ecology. Lu will explain their discoveries; she says "It's exciting to be able to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on this fox population!"

 

 

Lara Brenner is a FIF Board Member, island biologist for the Nature Conservancy, and member of the Island Spotted Skunk Conservation Working Group. Island spotted skunks co-exist with island foxes on Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands, but little is known about these tiny predators. As island foxes have recovered, how have island spotted skunks been affected? What are we learning about the relationship between these two endemic predators and what more needs to be investigated? Brenner will provide an update on island spotted skunks.

It should be a fascinating evening. We hope you will join us for this free virtual event. Reservations are required.

Watch The Recorded Program

More on FIF and island spotted skunks

Videos of past "Date with a Fox" programs are available here.

GPS Tracking Collars vs Radio Telemetry Collars

Radio telemetry collars are used across the Channel Islands to monitor island fox survival. These collars help biologists locate an island fox in real time and they give a specific signal when a fox is alive and moving around. 

Fifty to sixty island foxes on each island wear radio telemetry collars. Most of these are sentinel foxes. FIF funds radio collars to monitor island foxes.

GPS tracking collars record exact GPS coordinates. They have an additional antenna (that black bump at the top). Location data is recorded at designated times or time intervals over a specific amount of days, weeks, or months.

See the GPS data comparing island fox movement and island spotted skunks on the same hillside.

"Date With a Fox" May 1, 2022 Brian Cypher, Ph.D., Director and Research Ecologist CSU Stanislaus' Endangered Species Recovery Program talks about how GPS data provided important information on endangered San Joaquin kit foxes and how this same technology can benefit island foxes.

 

Friends of the Island Fox is supporting two research projects starting this summer to investigate island fox territory and habitat use on Santa Rosa Island. 

Katie Elder will replicate a GPS investigation of island fox territory size that was initially done when the population was under 400 individuals. Will territory size be different with the current estimated 2600 island foxes? Have these foxes reached the island's carrying capacity?

Juliann Schamel will also track island fox movement and territory size with GPS collars. She'll integrate her findings on diet with how individual island foxes are moving in the environment. Do all island foxes have access to beach resources or are there distinct areas and resources used by individual island foxes?  

In combination, this will be the largest investigation of island fox movement and territory size ever initiated. 

Your donations make this important research possible. 

Please consider donating today

Island Foxes, the U.S. Navy, and Island Spotted Skunks

"Date with a Fox" February 2022

Island foxes on San Clemente Island live with an active U.S. Navy Base, while island foxes on Santa Cruz Island live with island spotted skunks.

FIF's February virtual program "Date with a Fox" featured:

Holly Gamblin a biologist with the Institute for Wildlife Studies  on San Clemente Island. Gamblin provided a rare inside-look at the island foxes on the U.S. Navy island. Few civilians have access to San Clemente Island.

 

Research biologist Ellie Bolas shared her masters' thesis studies on the interactions between island foxes and island spotted skunks. Island spotted skunks live only on Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands. Very little is known about the ecology and behavior of island spotted skunks. How do these two small predators co-exist on the islands?

If you missed the program you can watch the video here:

To participate in FIF's "Date with a Fox" in May - join our donor list or subscribe to our e-newsletter.

See past "Date with a Fox" programs

Friends of the Island Fox Wants to Give Back to You

 It's Giving Back Wednesday!

Thank you for your support of island fox conservation.

If you missed FIF's first virtual program, you can now watch a video recording. 

"Date with a Fox" Nov. 20, 2021: Dr. Alexandra DeCandia provides an update on her island fox microbiome research, supported by your donations, and island biologist Lara Brenner outlines a new effort to protect island foxes from introduced species on Santa Cruz Island.

 

We hope you'll share this with your friends.

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