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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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A 100 lb adult male wolf was GPS radio-collared in the Mt Emily unit
Portland, Ore.

Oregon’s Wolf Population Continues to Increase Despite Poaching, Conflicts

Oregon is now home to 22 confirmed wolf packs, according to the state’s annual wolf report. The report, released by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), shared that the total wolf population was reported at an estimated173 wolves. This is an increase of 15 individuals, and 17 of the 22 packs contain breeding pairs.
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Yellowstone bison released at Ft. Peck Reservation
Helena, MT

Tribes, Conservation Groups Urge Veto on Anti-Bison Bills

A group of Montana tribes and conservation groups sent a letter to Governor Gianforte today, urging him to veto a pair of state bills that will undermine reintroduction efforts of wild bison to Montana.
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Sun through grasses
Washington, D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Statement on Chauvin Trial

Defenders of Wildlife’s President & CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark released a statement in reaction to a Minnesota jury finding former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts in the death of George Floyd.
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Grizzly Bear on the Bridger-Teton National Forest
Missoula, MT

Federal Court Halts Proposed Rock Creek Mine in Montana’s Cabinet Mountains

The federal district court in Montana on Tuesday invalidated the federal government’s approval of the first phase of the Rock Creek Mine, a major copper and silver mine proposed beneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness in northwest Montana.
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Chinook Salmon make their way up ship creek to spawn.
Olympia, Wash.

Billy Frank Jr. Legacy Established in National Statutory Hall

This week Governor Jay Inslee signed HB 1372 into law, which would honor the late Billy Frank Jr. with a statue in National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. Frank was an environmental and civil rights hero in Washington State.
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