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Stefan Ekernas
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Welcomes Stefan Ekernas as New Vice President of Species Conservation & Coexistence

Defenders of Wildlife is proud to announce Stephan Ekernas as its new Vice President of Species Conservation and Coexistence, where he will oversee Defenders’ field conservation programs.
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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condemns the rule, which mirrors a 2020 regulation promulgated by the first Trump administration that was later withdrawn and replaced in 2024.
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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.

Press Releases

Congressional Negotiators Dump Anti-Wildlife Riders

Lawmakers stripped almost all of the anti-wildlife riders attached to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) from the final conference report. These included ones harming

Trump Administration Stakes Out Unlawful “Road to Ruin” through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge

Despite pending litigation, the Trump administration secretly ordered ground-disturbing survey work to facilitate an illegal land trade and construction of a destructive road through wilderness

Sweeping Rewrite of Endangered Species Act Regulations Endangers Species

Proposed changes to key regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act – our nation’s most important endangered wildlife and habitat conservation law – will weaken federal

House Interior Appropriations Bill Loaded with Anti-Wildlife Riders

The House of Representatives passed a n Interior and Environment  Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2019 ( H.R. 6147 ) today that includes several extremely damaging
Silver City, NM

House Spending Bill Allots $5 Billion for Border Wall Construction and Security

Today the Department of Homeland Security House Appropriations Subcommittee passed a spending bill for fiscal year 2019 that includes $5 billion for physical border barriers
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