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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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Shortfin mako shark
Washington, DC

Compromise at ICCAT Raises Hopes for Recovery of Mako Sharks

After years of inaction, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)—the international entity responsible for the management of Atlantic tuna and bycatch species, including sharks, has finally reached a decision that will benefit the endangered and overfished population of North Atlantic shortfin makos.
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Lone Wolf Closeup
Columbia County, WA

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Kills Wolf in Southeast Washington

Today, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced it shot and killed a wolf in Columbia County, Washington. The wolf was one of several adults and pups establishing new territory north of the Touchet pack and west of the Tucannon pack.
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Greater Sage Grouse - Wyoming
Washington, DC

Biden Administration to Propose New Protections for Sage Grouse

The Biden administration announced today that it will consider new measures to conserve the greater sage-grouse, a bird once found across much of the U.S
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Black bears on rocks above Anan Creek Tongass NF
Anchorage, AK

Defenders Applauds Biden Administration’s Move to Protect Roadless Areas in Tongass National Forest

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that next week it will propose reinstating the national Roadless Area Conservation Rule in the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska. The move would restrict development on roughly 9.3 million acres in North America’s largest temperate rainforest.
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Capitol Building
Washington, DC

Wildlife Conservation and Climate Resiliency Highlighted as House Passes Build Back Better

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the Build Back Better Act which, at $1.75 trillion, has many key provisions for the protection of endangered species, climate mitigation and adaptation and forest health. The bill must next pass Senate, where it faces a razor-thin margin.
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