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Defenders Expands Legal Challenge to Trump Administration’s Assault on Endangered Species Act
Defenders of Wildlife today filed an amended complaint challenging the Trump administration’s escalating effort to dismantle longstanding protections for threatened and endangered wildlife under the Endangered Species Act.
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NPS Land Swaps and Visitor Plan Open the Door to Devastating Impacts at Cumberland Island
In advance of a public hearing on proposed land exchanges on Cumberland Island National Seashore, Defenders of Wildlife called on the National Park Service to remedy a host of management issues facing one of the largest undeveloped barrier islands on the East Coast.
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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.
Press Releases
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More than 200 Species Need Protection from International Commercial Trade, Defenders and Partners Tell Biden Administration
Defenders of Wildlife, together with NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) and Center for Biological Diversity, today asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to seek a ban on commercial trade for more than 200 species of animals and plants that are threatened with extinction, including reindeer, turtles, sea otters, tarantulas, aquarium fish, sharks, frogs, orchids, trees and over 50 coral species.
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Defenders Opposes Current Version of House Farm Bill
In response to the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Agriculture release of its draft Farm Bill, Defenders of Wildlife is voicing its opposition to the legislation. As drafted, the bill includes several key elements of that would detrimentally affect the nation’s ability to combat the biodiversity and climate crises and, further, severely weakens landmark environmental laws that support wildlife and eliminate key climate safeguards from Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding.
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Conservation Groups Ask Court to Protect Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Conservation groups today asked a federal court to protect an iconic sanctuary for migratory birds from a government plan to spread a chemical that could
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Defenders applauds Colorado law bringing wolverine closer to reintroduction
Colorado today is one step closer to reintroducing the North American wolverine. Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 24-171, authorizing Colorado Parks and Wildlife to
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Defenders Welcomes Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Endangered Listing
In a long-awaited victory for the dunes sagebrush lizard, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the species will be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
jcovey@defenders.org
