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manta rays swimming in the shallow ocean with coral
Fort Myers, FL

Defenders of Wildlife Applauds Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for Tightening Protections for Listed Species

Defenders of Wildlife welcomes today’s action by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to end open permitting for the capture of ESA-threatened marine species in Florida waters for public display and exhibition purposes.
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NARW
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Legal Intervention Aims to Protect North Atlantic Right Whales From Deadly Ship Strikes

Conservation groups today filed a motion to intervene to help fight a lawsuit aimed at overturning a seasonal speed rule protecting North Atlantic right whales from deadly vessel strikes. The groups want to defend the rule against a lawsuit brought by a New York vessel owner fined for violating seasonal speed limits. The suit alleges that NOAA Fisheries lacked the statutory authority to issue the rule.
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sage grouse in snow at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge
Washington, D.C.

Final Rescission of Public Lands Rule Reverses Modern Land Management, Threatens Wildlife Habitat

The Bureau of Land Management today announced a decision to roll back the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, commonly referred to as the Public Lands Rule. The policy modernized how BLM manages our national public lands and represented the critical incorporation of ecological resilience into management alongside traditional resource extraction.

Press Releases

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whooping cranes
Washington, DC

Safe Haven for Birds, Midwest Wildlife Refuge Threatened by Electrical Line

Since 1924, the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge has been a sanctuary for migratory birds, fish, wildlife and people. Stretching 261 river
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Gray Wolf
Washington, DC

Biden Administration Appeals Restoration of Gray Wolf Protections

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it would join hunting groups and the state of Utah in appealing a federal judge’s recent decision to restore Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections to gray wolves in most of the Lower 48 states.
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Pinyon jays top of tree
Albuquerque, NM

Defenders of Wildlife Seeks Endangered Status for Pinyon Jay

Defenders of Wildlife petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today to protect the pinyon jay under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The species is
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Caribou on tundra in NPR-A
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Applauds Biden Administration's Move to Protect Western Arctic

The Biden administration released a new Record of Decision for the Integrated Activity Plan for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska today, reinstating protections that were pulled back by the Trump administration.
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Red Peak, Kodiak Refuge with Sitka Spruce forests
SEATTLE, Wash.

White House Old-growth Forest Strategy is Important First Step Toward Protecting Imperiled Wildlife

Defenders applauds President Biden’s leadership in issuing an executive order directing the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to define, inventory and identify threats to America’s last remaining old and mature forests.
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
lsheehan@defenders.org
(202) 772-3244
Communications Director
mdewane@defenders.org
(202) 772-0217
Communications Specialist
jcovey@defenders.org
Communications Specialist
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268