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gray wolf walking with paw raised and looking at camera
Olympia, WA

Washington State 2025 Wolf Count Increases, Depredations Decrease

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife today released the state’s 2025 minimum count for gray wolves at 270 individuals, a 17% increase from 2024
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gray wolf
Salem, OR

Oregon Releases 2025 Annual Wolf Count, Numbers Up

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife today issued its 2025 gray wolf annual report, announcing an increase in the wolf population for a new
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Offshore Oil Rig
Washington D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Challenges Unprecedented “God Squad” Exemption Allowing Unchecked Gulf Oil Drilling

Defenders of Wildlife today announced it is taking legal action to overturn an unprecedented and unlawful decision by the Endangered Species Committee, known as the “God Squad,” to exempt federal authorizations of oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico through a blanket exemption from the Endangered Species Act’s protections.

Press Releases

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Bald eagle sitting at the top of an evergreen tree
Washington, DC

New Research Shows 80% of Voters Polled Support Big Funding Increases for the National Wildlife Refuge System

New public opinion research from Defenders of Wildlife reveals that 80% of voters polled support increasing funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System, the nation’s only system of lands dedicated to wildlife conservation.
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Collared adult male Canada lynx
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife Calls on Congress to Keep Toxic Wildlife Bill Out of Year-End Spending

Today, Defenders and more than 100 other environmental groups sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to exclude S.2561 from any end-of-year legislative package.
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Okefenokee kayaking
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife Applauds Secretary Haaland's Call to Protect the Okefenokee from Strip Mining

Defenders of Wildlife applauds recent comments submitted directly to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Debra Haaland that reinforce the dangers of mining operations near the Okefenokee Swamp.
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Sea otter raft of four
Washington, DC

New Defenders' Analysis Highlights Benefits of Full ESA Funding

A new analysis from Defender of Wildlife’s Center for Conservation Innovation (CCI), finds that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only receives about 40% of the funding required to fully implement the Endangered Species Act.
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Mexican Gray Wolf, Wolf Conservation Center
Santa Fe, NM

Poaching Death of Mexican Gray Wolf Hinders Reintroduction Efforts

The killing of a federally protected male Mexican gray wolf near Winston, NM in early October marks yet another obstacle to efforts to restore the imperiled species in its native range.
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