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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.
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Court Rules Habitat Must Be Protected After FWS Attempts to Waive Protections for Less Than 40 Sierra Nevada Red Fox
Defenders of Wildlife earned a significant victory for the Endangered Species Act today when a federal district court found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to not designate critical habitat for the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox was a violation of the law.
Press Releases
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New Assessment of Polar Bear Populations Underway as Climate Change Worsens
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that it will conduct a five-year review of polar bear populations. Polar bears are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act, which requires FWS to review the status of the species periodically. The most recent review was conducted in 2017.
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Biden Administration Reverses Trump Rule That Gutted Migratory Bird Protections
In a critical win for wildlife, today the Biden administration announced it would be reversing a Trump administration rule that gutted protections for more than 1,000 species of migratory birds.
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23 Species Lost to Extinction
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced their proposal to remove 23 species from the list of threatened and endangered species protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) today because they are believed to be extinct. These species join the list of 11 others previously delisted due to extinction, and the hundreds of other scientists estimate have been lost in the last 200 years.
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Urban Refuge in California Will Help Protect Biodiversity and Increase Equitable Access to Nature
Habitat loss is one of the main drivers of the biodiversity crisis and today, Urban National Wildlife Refuge Day, is a call to action. We must act to protect habitat for imperiled species and provide access to nature for all- specifically in Riverside County, California, one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation.
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Desert Conservation Groups Cheer Signing of Assembly Bill 1183
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1183, bringing California’s desert region essential funding for conservation, recreation, and environmental education projects. Assembly Member James C. Ramos authored AB 1183, which will establish the Desert Conservation Program under the state’s Wildlife Conservation Board.
jcovey@defenders.org
