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Salt Marsh - Cumberland Island
ST. MARYS, GEORGIA

NPS Land Swaps and Visitor Plan Open the Door to Devastating Impacts at Cumberland Island

In advance of a public hearing on proposed land exchanges on Cumberland Island National Seashore, Defenders of Wildlife called on the National Park Service to remedy a host of management issues facing one of the largest undeveloped barrier islands on the East Coast.
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2019.08.07 - Florida Panther looking straight at camera - MS 45 - fStop Foundation
WASHINGTON, D.C.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Memo Underscores Trump Administration’s All-Fronts War on Wildlife

Brian Nesvik, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, issued a memorandum explaining to FWS staff that the Endangered Species Act’s prohibition on unauthorized “take” applies only to affirmative acts intentionally and purposefully directed at a particular animal. This follows the Trump administration’s rescission of the regulatory definitions of “harm” under the ESA, which took effect this week.
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A close up of the face of a Sierra Nevada Red Fox at the edge of a forest in Deschutes County, Oregon.
Washington, D.C.

Court Rules Habitat Must Be Protected After FWS Attempts to Waive Protections for Less Than 40 Sierra Nevada Red Fox

Defenders of Wildlife earned a significant victory for the Endangered Species Act today when a federal district court found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to not designate critical habitat for the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox was a violation of the law.

Press Releases

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Snowy owl - Damon Point State Park, Washington
Washington, DC

Congress Acts to Restore Vital Protections for Migratory Birds

WASHINGTON (January 8, 2019) – Today Representative Lowenthal (D-CA) with 18 bipartisan original co-sponsors introduced the Migratory Bird Protection Act (H.R. 5552) to restore longstanding
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Fort Peck Bison Release Bull on Hill
Helena, MT

Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Signs Off on Bison Management Plan

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks today announced the completion of Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the restoration of bison in the state. This EIS is the first official decision in favor of reintroducing wild free-ranging bison to their historic range outside of Yellowstone National Park. The EIS paves the way for the agency to now consider site-specific proposals for the state’s management of bison as wildlife.
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Gray Wolf
Denver, CO

Wolf Reintroduction in Colorado Will Appear on 2020 Ballot

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced today that Initiative 107, which would require Colorado Parks and Wildlife to develop a plan to reintroduce wolves
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Hawaiian Hawk
Washington, DC

Thanks to the Endangered Species Act, the Hawaiian Hawk is Fully Recovered

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today removed the Hawaiian hawk, the only hawk native to Hawai’i, from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened
Washington, DC

Defenders Announces Science Advisors

Defenders of Wildlife today announced its expanded group of Science Advisors as part of its continuing commitment to ensure science plays the leading role in wildlife conservation policy.
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