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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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Sacramento, Calif.

California Supreme Court Upholds Ruling that Protects Bees Under State ESA

Four species of imperiled bumble bees native to California remain eligible for protection under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) after the state’s Supreme Court denied efforts by agricultural and pesticide interests to appeal a lower court's decision.
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Sea Otter Awareness Week 2022 logo
Sacramento, Calif.

Defenders Marks 20th Anniversary of Sea Otter Awareness Week

Defenders of Wildlife and Sea Otter Savvy marked the 20th annual Sea Otter Awareness Week with a series of events focusing on the path to coexistence that reflects the challenge of managing human efforts to sustain wildlife and habitat diversity.
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Sandhill Cranes against sunset and clouds

Defenders of Wildlife Opposes “Dirty Deal” Permitting Agreement

Defenders of Wildlife is joining dozens of other environmental organizations opposing the “Dirty Deal” permitting agreement championed by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). If passed, the
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Okefenokee kayaking
Atlanta, Ga.

Defenders of Wildlife and Dozens of Groups Urge Interior Department to Greenlight Okefenokee World Heritage Bid

Dozens of national, state, and local organizations urged Secretary of the Interior Debra Haaland and the U.S. Department of the Interior to formally authorize the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge’s bid for World Heritage listing.
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Tricolored bat roosting
Washington, DC

Tricolored Bats Proposed for Endangered Species Act Protection

Citing the ravaging effects of white-nose syndrome, a disease that has killed millions of bats across the country, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced it is proposing to list the tricolored bat as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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