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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condemns the rule, which mirrors a 2020 regulation promulgated by the first Trump administration that was later withdrawn and replaced in 2024.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

Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife to March For Oceans, Wildlife

Today marks the 26th annual World Oceans Day. Defenders of Wildlife along with 150 additional M4O partner organizations will join the March For The Ocean
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Marbled murrelet
Portland, OR

Commission Turns Turncoat on Marbled Murrelet

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission reversed their February decision to uplist the marbled murrelet to endangered under the Oregon Endangered Species Act (ESA). Ironically, this was during a meeting yesterday where the Commission was supposed to adopt survival guidelines for the marbled murrelet.
Washington, DC

House Interior Funding Bill Burdened with Even More Anti-Wildlife Riders

The House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations marked up fiscal year 2019 Interior and environment appropriations legislation today, where committee members tacked on even more

ADVISORY: Rally in Santa Teresa to protest border wall construction

In March, conservation groups including Defenders of Wildlife sued the Trump administration over waiving 25 environmental laws in an effort to speed up construction of

Arctic Refuge Threatened with Imminent Oil Exploration

The Washington Post reported today that the Trump administration has received an application from an oilfield services company to conduct 3-dimensional seismic exploration across the
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