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Rice's Whale
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Slams Unlawful God Squad Vote to Strip Endangered Species Act Protection from Wildlife in the Gulf

Defenders of Wildlife strongly opposes today’s vote by the Endangered Species Committee, or God Squad, to condemn species to extinction in the name of a fictitious “national security emergency.”
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Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge at sunset
Washington, D.C.

Court Victory for Florida Wetlands Protection

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled today that permits to build in wetlands should stay in the hands of
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Willet
Washington, D.C.

Sec. of Defense Invokes False “National Security” Rationale to Eviscerate Endangered Species Act Protections for Wildlife in the Gulf

In a litigation filing yesterday in federal district court, the Trump administration publicly admitted for the first time that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum scheduled a snap meeting of the Endangered Species Committee (the “God Squad”) for March 31 at the request of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Press Releases

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Sea Otter Awareness Week 2022 logo
Sacramento, Calif.

Defenders Marks 20th Anniversary of Sea Otter Awareness Week

Defenders of Wildlife and Sea Otter Savvy marked the 20th annual Sea Otter Awareness Week with a series of events focusing on the path to coexistence that reflects the challenge of managing human efforts to sustain wildlife and habitat diversity.
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Sandhill Cranes against sunset and clouds

Defenders of Wildlife Opposes “Dirty Deal” Permitting Agreement

Defenders of Wildlife is joining dozens of other environmental organizations opposing the “Dirty Deal” permitting agreement championed by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). If passed, the
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Okefenokee kayaking
Atlanta, Ga.

Defenders of Wildlife and Dozens of Groups Urge Interior Department to Greenlight Okefenokee World Heritage Bid

Dozens of national, state, and local organizations urged Secretary of the Interior Debra Haaland and the U.S. Department of the Interior to formally authorize the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge’s bid for World Heritage listing.
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Tricolored bat roosting
Washington, DC

Tricolored Bats Proposed for Endangered Species Act Protection

Citing the ravaging effects of white-nose syndrome, a disease that has killed millions of bats across the country, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced it is proposing to list the tricolored bat as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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Mojave Desert Tortoise
Los Angeles, Calif.

Judge Vacates Approval of Cadiz’s California Desert Water Grab

A federal judge has vacated a U.S. Bureau of Land Management decision that would have allowed Cadiz Inc. to repurpose a mothballed oil-and-gas pipeline to
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