"We call upon President Trump to nominate a Secretary who will uphold the mission of the Department, follow federal ethics rules and truly protect our nation’s wild lands, waters and wildlife.”

Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife
Washington, DC

The following statement is from Jamie Rappaport Clark, Former president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, on the announcement of Ryan Zinke’s departure from the Department of the Interior at the end of this year:

“Secretary Zinke didn’t protect and conserve our nation’s wildlife and our public lands and waters, a fundamental responsibility the Secretary of the Interior owes to all Americans. During his tenure, he issued policies that would allow for extreme hunting practices for bears and wolves in Alaska, negligent killing of migratory birds and oil and gas drilling that threatens imperiled species across the country. At every turn, our nation’s outgoing natural resources chief prioritized development over conservation. Zinke has left a legacy of destruction in his wake.

We call upon President Trump to nominate a Secretary who will uphold the mission of the Department, follow federal ethics rules and truly protect our nation’s wild lands, waters and wildlife.”

 

For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.  

 

Media Contact

News

2019.08.07 - Florida Panther looking straight at camera - MS 45 - fStop Foundation
WASHINGTON, D.C.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Memo Underscores Trump Administration’s All-Fronts War on Wildlife

Brian Nesvik, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, issued a memorandum explaining to FWS staff that the Endangered Species Act’s prohibition on unauthorized “take” applies only to affirmative acts intentionally and purposefully directed at a particular animal. This follows the Trump administration’s rescission of the regulatory definitions of “harm” under the ESA, which took effect this week.
A close up of the face of a Sierra Nevada Red Fox at the edge of a forest in Deschutes County, Oregon.
Washington, D.C.

Court Rules Habitat Must Be Protected After FWS Attempts to Waive Protections for Less Than 40 Sierra Nevada Red Fox

Defenders of Wildlife earned a significant victory for the Endangered Species Act today when a federal district court found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to not designate critical habitat for the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox was a violation of the law.
Visit the newsroom