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Florida panther
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Submits Technical Comments and Over 8,400 Public Comments in Efforts to Stop Harmful ESA Proposals

Defenders of Wildlife today submitted its technical comments opposing the Trump administration’s proposals to weaken the Endangered Species Act’s implementing regulations.
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black-footed ferret at the nat'l black-footed ferret conservation center
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Slams SPEED Act as it Speeds Toward Habitat Destruction

Defenders of Wildlife condemns Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) SPEED ACT, H.R. 4776 the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, ahead of Thursday’s expected floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Roaming mountain goat
Washington, D.C.

ESA Amendments Act Poses a Historic Threat to America’s Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife remains on high alert as it braces for the House Natural Resources Committee’s full markup of Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) Endangered Species Amendments Act of 2025. More aptly labeled the Extinction Act, the bill seeks to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act, stripping away decades of crucial protections for America’s wildlife and their habitats.

Press Releases

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Mojave Desert Tortoise
SACRAMENTO, CA

Defenders of Wildlife Applauds New Effort to Protect California’s Biodiversity

Defenders of Wildlife applauds State Sen. Dave Min for the introduction of State Senate Bill (SB) 337, which would establish a statewide goal to conserve
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Three Gray Wolves in the Snow
Portland, ORE.

Defenders of Wildlife Concerned By Oregon Wolf Population Stagnation as Poaching Increases

Today, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announced that Oregon’s population of gray wolves saw a minimal increase from 175 wolves to 178. This concerning population stagnation is partially attributed to increased poaching incidents and state-sponsored lethal control efforts in response to livestock predations.
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North Atlantic Right Whales
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife Urges Support for RESCUE Whales Act To Protect Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales

Introduced by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the bill would repeal a section of the FY2023 omnibus appropriations bill that significantly delays court-ordered regulatory action under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This is needed to help prevent the extinction of the North Atlantic right whale in the face of unsustainable lethal entanglements in the American lobster/Jonah crab fishery.
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lesser prairie chicken
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife Opposes Congressional Attacks Seeking to Remove Lesser-Prairie Chicken and Northern Long-Eared Bat Protections

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a second hearing in as many months on bills sponsored by pro-extinction members attacking the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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Gray Wolf Howling in Snow - Montana
SEATTLE, Wash.

Washington Wolf Population Expands Despite High Mortality

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced that the state’s endangered gray wolf population has increased by 5% after they found 216 wolves during their annual count. It also announced the formation of the state’s first reestablished wolf pack in the South Cascades.
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