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Violet-green Swallow
ANN ARBOR, MI

Study Led by Defenders of Wildlife Scientist Shows Noise Pollution Impacts on Migratory Birds

“The major takeaway from this study is that anthropogenic noise affects many aspects of bird behavior, with some responses more directly tied to fitness,” said Natalie Madden, lead author of the new study.
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Louisiana Black Bear
Raleigh, N.C.

Defenders Receives Advocacy Organization of the Year Award

Defenders of Wildlife joined its partners in the Safe Passage coalition today to accept the Advocacy Organization of the Year Award at the 2026 Sweethearts
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Two North Atlantic Right Whales
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Raises Alarm Over Administration’s Proposal to Amend Rule Protecting North Atlantic Right Whales From Deadly Vessel Strikes

Defenders of Wildlife is devastated to learn that a three-year-old female North Atlantic right whale was found dead off Virginia on February 10, 2026. This

Press Releases

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
lsheehan@defenders.org
(202) 772-3244
Communications Director
mdewane@defenders.org
(202) 772-0217
Communications Specialist
jcovey@defenders.org
Former Communications Specialist
Communications Specialist
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268