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condemns the rule, which mirrors a 2020 regulation promulgated by the first Trump administration that was later withdrawn and replaced in 2024.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

Former DOI Officials Want Zinke to Reconsider Changes to Migratory Bird Act

A bipartisan coalition of 17 former Department of the Interior officials spanning the last 40 years sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke condemning

Wildlife conservationists cheer Gov. Brown’s call for sustainable funding

Contacts: Defenders of Wildlife, Kim Delfino, kdelfino@defenders.org, (916) 201-8277 The Humane Society of the United States, Jennifer Fearing, jennifer@fearlessadvocacy.com, (916) 992-3667 Audubon California, Garrison Frost

Cliven Bundy and Sons Avoid Trial for Nevada Armed Confrontation

A U.S. District Court judge has ruled that the federal government may not retry Cliven Bundy and his sons on charges that they led armed

Trump Administration Approves Unlawful ‘Road to Ruin’ through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jared Saylor, (202) 236-5855, jsaylor@defenders.org Trump Administration Approves Unlawful ‘Road to Ruin’ through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska WASHINGTON (January

President Trump Proposes Catastrophic Plan to Expand Offshore Drilling

T he Trump administration is proposing a 5-year plan that would expand offshore oil and gas drilling to the Atlantic Coast and Arctic Ocean. President
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