Author: Newsroom
(Thousand Oaks, CA) – Discover the cosmopolitan wildlife that shares out city alleys and backyards with urban ecologist Chris Schell, Friday, February 27, 2026, at 8:00 pm at the Fred Kavli Theatre.
Thinking that wildlife lives “somewhere else” is an easy mistake. National Geographic Explorer Schell has dedicated his work to understanding and celebrating the surprising wildlife in our backyards. But this show isn’t only an exploration of animal behavior. We go on assignment with Schell to discover the unexpected story of how American history has shaped urban wildlife.
Schell is an urban ecologist, professor, Afrofuturist, father, and writer. Schell’s research sits at the intersection of animal behavior, physiology, urban biodiversity conservation, environmental justice, and One Health to investigate how carnivores – namely coyotes, foxes, and raccoons – adapt to life in cities. In addition, Schell’s lab integrates critical discourses on how structural oppression (e.g., redlining, pollution burden, and socioeconomic disparities) directly shape the very urban features associated with human-wildlife interactions, conflict, and adaptation.
Schell is a National Geographic Explorer, Grist Fixer, Cal Academy Fellow and Board Member, and Affiliate Faculty with the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, with his work featured in The Atlantic, The New York Times, Vox Explained, and various NPR radio events. Since 2021, Schell has served on the faculty in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM) at the University of California, Berkeley. A born-and-raised Los Angelean now firmly planted in the Bay Area, Schell weaves his lived experiences as a Black man and Californian to coproduce justice- and equity-centered research programs with local communities that regenerate urban nature, environmental health, and access for all peoples.
Single tickets are on sale now and are priced at $54.50 & 44.50. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster online at www.ticketmaster.com, or through the Bank of America Performing Arts Box Office, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard. For more information call 805-449-2787 or visit www.bapacthousandoaks.com