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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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2022.04.18 - Landscape - Beaver Coexistence New Mexico - Bryan Bird

Defenders Receives NFWF’s Southwest Rivers Headwaters Grant to Support Habitat Restoration, Beaver Coexistence Along Rio Grande

Defenders of Wildlife is proud to announce it has been awarded a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support our on-the-ground efforts
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2010.11.08-Delta Smelt closeup- Peter Johnsen-USFWS (CC BY 2.0).jpg
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

State and Federal Agencies Cancel Action to Protect Delta Smelt

In California, today marks the start of the new “water year,” the date water managers use to mark the end of the dry season and
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SPECIAL AREA
WASHINGTON, DC

Indigenous Leaders, Environmental Organizations Support Biden Administration Announcement Soliciting Feedback on Expanding and Strengthening Protections for Special Areas in the Western Arctic

Today, the Biden administration announced that the Department of the Interior will seek input on whether to initiate a process to expand existing Special Areas
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A polar bear keeps close to her young along the Beaufort Sea coast in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife Applauds Lawmakers for Voting Against NDAA Amendment Exempting Defense from ESA

Defenders of Wildlife applauds the majority of House members that voted down a disastrous amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would have fully exempted defense-related activity from the Endangered Species Act.
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 Peavine Pines, Nevada -  by JC Bleam.jpg
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

Defenders Demands Action from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Over Missed Deadline

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has quietly punted the next phase to federally protect the Pinyon Jay under the Endangered Species Act to 2028
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