Image
brown bear
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Trump Administration Opens Door to Bear Baiting, Den Hunting in Alaska Preserves

The National Park Service finalized a regulation that abdicates the agency's responsibility to manage wildlife in Alaska's national preserves, deferring instead to state regulations. Defenders of Wildlife condemns the rule, which mirrors a 2020 regulation promulgated by the first Trump administration that was later withdrawn and replaced in 2024.
Image
Washington, DC

BLM Prepares Illegal Move to Open Ouray National Wildlife Refuge to Oil & Gas, a Dangerous Precedent for Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife is calling on BLM to withdrawal an unprecedented proposal to open Ouray National Wildlife Refuge in Utah to new oil and gas leasing.
Image
Jake Li Testimony at EPW
WASHINGTON, D.C.

A Much-Needed Win for Wildlife: Senate Introduces Bill to Improve Endangered Species Act Implementation

Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Pete Rickets (R-NE) today introduced the Improving Species Recovery Act, an important bipartisan bill that would improve implementation of the Endangered Species Act.

Press Releases

Image
Dunes Sagebrush Lizard
WASHINGTON

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Consider Endangered Listing for Dunes Sagebrush Lizard

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) agreed today to decide by June 30 whether to consider a proposal to list the dunes sagebrush lizard under the Endangered Species Act.
Image
Manatee with baby
Charleston, S.C.

Conservation Groups Challenge EPA’s Gutting of Clean Water Protections in Federal Court EPA Rule Paves Way for Wetlands and Small Streams Destruction

Conservation groups today challenged in federal court the administration’s effort to gut clean water protections from wetlands and streams that feed drinking-water sources for 200 million Americans and 32 million people in the South, or seven out of ten Southerners.
Image
Polar Bear
Anchorage, AK

Trump administration Moves Forward with Massive Oil and Gas Project During Pandemic

Despite the pandemic, the Trump administration is moving ahead with public hearings on the Willow project – a massive oil and gas development being pushed by ConocoPhillips – in the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska.
Image
Right Whale
New York

New York Offshore Wind Alliance: Public Service Commission Gives NY An Earth Week to Celebrate

New York Offshore Wind Alliance: Public Service Commission Gives NY An Earth Week to Celebrate Authorizes NYSERDA To Solicit Nation’s Largest Offshore Wind Bids Following
Image
Northern Long-eared Bat
Washington, D.C.

Lawmakers, Conservation Groups Seek to Address Wildlife Trade as Source of Coronavirus Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the U.S., China reopening its wet wildlife markets. These markets, which sell animals in crowded conditions that are unsafe for both wildlife and humans, have been pegged as the most likely place the disease originally spread from wildlife species.
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