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Florida Panther
WASHINGTON, D.C.

In a Gift to Industry, The Trump Administration Eliminates Protections for Threatened Species and Essential Habitat

In a devastating blow to wildlife, the Trump administration today finalized rollbacks of two regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act that will hamstring the protection and recovery of endangered and threatened species.
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Diseases that spread in shared spaces can have massive impacts on mammal species and have the potential to kill entire litters of wolf pups.
Raleigh, N.C.

More Red Wolf Pups Shows Promising Growth for Critically Endangered Canid

The Red Wolf Recovery Program in North Carolina confirmed the birth of four wild litters of Red Wolf pups in eastern North Carolina, home to the only population of wild Red Wolves in the world.
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Two North Atlantic right whales swimming alongside one another in the ocean
Washington, DC

Defenders Calls Foul on Latest Bill Seeking to Delay Protections for the Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale

Defenders of Wildlife condemns HR 9436, which would delay right whale protections until 2035, as entanglements push the species toward extinction.

Press Releases

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Border wall
Alamo, Texas

Border Communities Oppose Trump Visit, Fear Repeat of Racist Anti-Democratic Violence

President Trump will reportedly visit the Lower Rio Grande Valley this week to promote the border wall, in the middle of congressional action to impeach him for his role inciting insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week. Border communities rightly see his trip as an immediate threat to community safety and security.
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Manatee resting at Three Sisters Springs
Homosassa, FL

Politically-Motivated Manatee Harassment is ‘Beyond Cruel and Inhumane’

Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported they are opening an investigation after a manatee was discovered with severe scarring spelling “TRUMP” on its back in the Homosassa River in Citrus County, Florida. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed manatees as “threatened,” having been previously classified as “endangered” until 2017.
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Loggerhead sea turtle
St. Petersburg, FL

Feds to Be Sued for Weakening Sea Turtle Protections

Conservation groups issued a formal notice today of their intent to sue the National Marine Fisheries Service for drastically weakening rules that prevent sea turtles from dying in shrimp trawl nets.
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Misty Forest - Green Swamp Preserve - North Carolina
Washington, DC

Lawsuit: Stop Trump administration’s parting shot at national forests

A lawsuit filed today seeks to reverse the Trump administration’s elimination of critical safeguards that have protected national forests from unneeded, ill-conceived and destructive logging, road building, and utility right-of-way projects.
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Polar Bears
Washington, DC

Trump Administration Attempt to Sell Out the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Flops

Today’s lease sale for the coastal plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge continues the Trump administration’s destructive attack on our nation’s public lands and wildlife. Today, three entities were identified as the successful bidders on 11 tracts, yielding a paltry $7 million to the federal treasury because the state of Alaska receives half of the sale price of $14 million. The failed lease sale underscores a lack of interest in developing the Arctic refuge and sets up an incoming Biden administration to reverse course to permanently protect the refuge.
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
Communications Specialist
estern@defenders.org
202-772-0243