Image
wolverine
Washington, D.C.

House Interior Bill Attacks Crucial Protections for Imperiled Wildlife and Public Lands

Defenders of Wildlife today slammed the House Appropriations Committee’s proposed Interior and Environment spending bill for Fiscal Year 2027, which includes numerous damaging policy riders intended to weaken the Endangered Species Act and undermine protections for individual species.
Image
gray wolf laying in snow looking at the camera
Denver, CO

Defenders Backs Colorado, Calls on Federal Government to Push Onward with Gray Wolf Reintroduction

Defenders of Wildlife sent a comment letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today in response to a public request for information, urging continued
Image
Mike Leahy
Washington, D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Announces Mike Leahy as New Vice President of Government Relations

Defenders of Wildlife is pleased to announce Mike Leahy as its new Vice President of Government Relations.

Press Releases

Image
A young desert tortoise that was translocated from an expansion area at 29 Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Spring of 2017.
SACRAMENTO

CA Fish and Game Commission Moves to Change Desert Tortoise Status from Threatened to Endangered

The California Fish and Game Commission voted today to move forward with strengthening protections for the Agassiz’s desert tortoise under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).
Image
A Key deer at National Key Deer Wildlife Refuge on Big Pine Key in the Florida Keys
Washington, DC

Finding Refuge: Endangered Species and the National Wildlife Refuge System

Defenders of Wildlife and the National Wildlife Refuge Association used hundreds of federal documents and data to develop an up-to-date list of species found on the National Wildlife Refuge System. In a new report, they found that 513 ESA-listed species—nearly one-third of all U.S.-listed species—are found on (or depend on) at least 444 of the 568 wildlife refuges.
Image
Growling wolverine
Missoula, MT

Lawsuit Launched Over Federal Refusal to Protect Wolverines

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denied protection today to the rare and elusive wolverine under the Endangered Species Act, prompting a coalition of conservation groups to announce their intention to file a notice of intent to sue as soon as the final rule is published in the Federal Register.
Image
Bodie Hills, California wildflowers sage
SACRAMENTO

Newsom Executive Order Sets Biodiversity, Working Lands Protection Goals

Today, Governor Newsom signed an executive order (EO) focused on protecting California’s biodiversity and natural working lands.
Image
Swainson's hawk (NPS)
Washington, DC

Congress Urges Interior Dept. To Abandon Reinterpretation of 100-Year-Old Law Protecting Migratory Birds

Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), today, joined with House colleagues Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Francis Rooney (R-FL), and 48 other House Members in calling
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