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Two Southern Appalachian Brook Trout underwater and surface
Washington, D.C.

House Set to Vote on Misleading Bill Blocking Regulation of Lead Ammunition on Federal Lands

The United States House of Representatives is expected this Wednesday to vote on H.R. 556 – Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025.
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2023.11.19 - Pinyon Jay in tree - Topaz Lake, Nevada -  by JC Bleam.jpg
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

First-of-its-Kind Study Sheds Light on Forest Thinning Impacts on Pinyon Jays

Though the pinyon jay population continues to decline at alarming rates, until now the threats facing it remained largely under-researched. Defenders of Wildlife, along with
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green sea turtle
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Trump Administration Calls on “God Squad” to Weaken Endangered Species Act Protections

The Trump administration today announced its intent to convene the Endangered Species Committee — colloquially known as the “God Squad”— on March 31, 2026, to consider an exemption under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for oil and gas-related activities in the Gulf of Mexico.

Press Releases

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Swamp Lined with Trees
Washington, DC

Draft Mining Permits Spell Danger for Okefenokee Refuge

A damaging strip-mining plan threatening the country’s last intact freshwater ecosystem has moved one step closer to reality. On Feb. 9, the Georgia Environmental Protection
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2021.03.27 - Gray Wolf Laying in Snow - Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming - John Morrison
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Decries U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Inaction to List Gray Wolves

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced it will not relist gray wolves of the Northern Rocky Mountain population to the Endangered Species Act.
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A Mountain Landscape, featuring Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina
Asheville, NC

Logging project in Nantahala National Forest violates federal law, new lawsuit alleges

On Wednesday, a coalition of conservation groups filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service, alleging the agency’s plans to log a sensitive area
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A dead North Atlantic right whale is seen stranded at Joseph Sylvia State Beach in Edgartown, Mass. Found on Sunday, the whale is a juvenile female, a devestating loss to the population.
Washington, DC

Young female endangered right whale found dead on Martha’s Vineyard beach

A North Atlantic right whale was found dead on a Martha’s Vineyard beach off the coast of Massachusetts on Sunday, Jan. 28. This juvenile female
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2022.08.28 - Two Orcas Swimming - Tongass National Forest - Alaska - Harvey Hergett-USFS.jpg

Defenders Statement on J-Pod Orca Calf Presumed Dead

The Southern resident orca calf reportedly born to the J-Pod at the end of December 2023 is presumed dead, according to the Center for Whale
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