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swimming manta rays
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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greater sage grouse
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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Juvenile Gopher Tortoise
TALLAHASSEE, FL

Gov. DeSantis Signs Major Property Act into Law, Protecting Families and Endangered Species

Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act (UPHPA) into law, marking a major victory for Florida’s families. The bill, sponsored by state Senator Randolph Bracy (D-Orlando) and state Representative Loranne Ausley (D-Tallahassee), helps protect the transfer of wealth between generations of families who use a simple will or pass without a will. Because a majority of low-income and minority Floridians don’t have wills, this law will help transfer wealth among many people who need it the most.
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Gray Wolf
Seattle, Wash.

Togo Pack Lethal Removal Order Announced

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) today announced a new lethal removal order for up to two members of the Togo wolf pack in the Kettle Range.
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ocelot caught on camera
Los Fresnos, Texas

Rare Sighting of a Male Ocelot

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge announced today the sighting of a new male ocelot on the refuge, as captured by camera trap photos.
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Mountain lion drinking
VENTURA, Calif.

Conservation Groups File Motions to Defend Ventura County Wildlife Connectivity

Conservation organizations filed two legal motions today to defend Ventura County’s innovative wildlife connectivity ordinances—the first of their kind in California.
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Mexican_gray_wolf
Tucson, Ariz.

More than 40,000 Commenters Weigh in on Mexican gray wolves

Despite the challenges to public outreach in the midst of the global pandemic and stay-at-home orders, supporters of effective science-informed recovery of the critically endangered “lobos” submitted more than 40,000 comments.
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