Image
2021.11.26 - A small herd of caribou in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge - Alaska - Katrina Liebich-UWFWS.jpeg
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

DOI Trades Away Alaskan Refuges, Sells Out Public Lands

The Trump administration dealt a blow to the National Wildlife Refuge System by removing protections from the Arctic and Izembek National Wildlife Refuges. During what
Image
Bison in field
Wolf Point, Mont.

Proposed Biodiversity Credit Pilot Program a First for Tribes, Healthy Grasslands

A new conservation pilot program will offer industry leaders the opportunity to contribute to the return of bison to tribal lands, which will in turn
Image
Southern Sea Otter on its Back with Tag on its Foot
Olympia, WA

Defenders Offers Reward for Information on Sea Otter Poaching

The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed that a federally protected sea otter was illegally tortured and killed in February 2025. Both FWS and Defenders

Press Releases

Image
Polar Bear
Washington, DC

Defenders' Statement on the Continued Support for Offshore Drilling by Members of Congress

Today, Sen. Lisa Murkowski said at an Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing that, "The production of energy will never be without risk or environmental consequence." She was joined by others in voicing a continued need for oil and gas drilling off of U.S. shores, despite the ongoing Gulf oil spill disaster.
Image
Pacific walrus
Washington, DC

Offshore Arctic drilling still scheduled in less than 60 days

Suspending Arctic offshore drilling this summer is the first real test of whether this administration is going to be serious about addressing oil spill response capacity and learning something from the Gulf spill.
Image
Polar Bear
Portland, OR

Time out on Arctic offshore oil drilling needed

Thirteen Alaska Native and conservation groups represented by Earthjustice are heading to federal court today to argue a legal challenge against the federal government’s October and December 2009 approvals of exploratory oil drilling plans for the Shell Oil Company in the Arctic Ocean’s Chukchi and Beaufort seas.
Image
butterfly on sunflower
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife named recipient of Nature's Path 2010 EnviroKidz giving back award

Defenders of Wildlife has announced it was named a recipient of Nature’s Path Organic Foods’ 2010 EnviroKidz Giving Back Award.
Image
Polar Bear
Washington, DC

Sec. Salazar Urged to Reconsider Shell Oil’s Exploratory Drilling Planned for the Arctic Ocean in Less Than 60 Days

In light of the ongoing Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska Native communities and conservation groups sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today urging him to reconsider his approval of exploratory drilling by Shell Oil due to begin in Alaska’s Arctic Ocean in less than 60 days.
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
jpetrequin@defenders.org
(202) 772-0243
Communications Specialist
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268