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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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Salmon
Seattle, WA

Report Releases Findings on Lower Snake River Stakeholder Process as Washington Looks to Save Orcas

Today marked the release of official findings from a stakeholder process regarding the removal of four dams from the lower Snake River.
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Desert-National-Wildlife-Refuge
Washington, DC

Proposed Legislation on Military Use of Desert National Wildlife Refuge Shortchanges Wildlife Protection

Today Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced legislation that would renew military use of the Nevada Test and Training Range and expand Air Force control over Desert National Wildlife Refuge.
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ocelot
Washington, DC

Bad News for Wildlife: Border Wall Funding Approved in 2020 Spending Bill

After weeks of negotiations, Congress unveiled the $1.4 trillion package that will raise discretionary federal spending by $49 billion for the rest of fiscal 2020.
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Mexican Gray Wolf
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

Two More Mexican Gray Wolves Caught in Traps as Incidents Continue in New Mexico

Defenders of Wildlife has learned that two more Mexican gray wolves were recently caught in foothold traps in New Mexico.
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Polar Bear
Anchorage, AK

Defenders Statement on National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Lease Sale, IAP Hearing

The Trump administration will be holding an oil and gas lease sale for 4 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) today. Lease sales in the NPRA have been held annually since 2011. The last two lease sales in the reserve brought in $1 million and $1.5 million, respectively.
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