On Columbus Day I had the privilege of participating in a momentous occasion – the release of ten Santa Cruz Island fox pups into the wild.  These pups are part of the last group of Island foxes reared in captivity as part of an effort to recover this endangered native of the Channel Islands.  Joining me at this great event were representatives from The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service and dozens of public and private partners who participated in the Santa Cruz Island Restoration Project. 

Monday’s fox release was the culmination of years of hard work and commitment to protecting and restoring the native plants and animals of Santa Cruz Island.  Channel Islands National Park, which includes Santa Cruz Island, is one of the greatest glories of our National Park system and the successful recovery effort to save the endangered Island fox is a triumph that will serve as a role model for the rest of the country.

I’m proud to support the Santa Cruz Island Restoration Project.  Clearly this remarkable partnership between public and private entities is working successfully.  Because of this restoration project the Island fox population has tripled since it was listed as endangered.  In fact, today 300 foxes are living in the wild.  Threats from non-native species have been removed, native plants and vegetation are recovering for the first time in decades and the bald eagles are back!  Recently two of these magnificent birds hatched on Santa Cruz for the first time in 50 years. These are all wonderful and encouraging signs that we are heading in the right direction.

Santa Cruz Island means so much to our area.  It’s a place of rare beauty and priceless natural history.  We must work together to preserve it and protect it – for our children, and for our children’s children.  That’s a responsibility that I take seriously and I hope you’ll join me in this effort.

Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.