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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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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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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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Frustrated Florida Landowners Back Out of Conservation Plan
Southwest Florida is experiencing exponential growth, and the accompanying urban development and expanding roadway networks are putting vital habitat for the endangered Florida panther and many other wildlife species at risk.
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Judge Reinstates Obama-Era Coal Leasing Moratorium on Federal Lands
A federal judge in Montana District Court ruled today to reinstate a moratorium on new coal leasing on public lands, halting all coal leasing on federal lands until the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) completes a more sufficient environmental analysis. Defenders of Wildlife is one of several plaintiffs on this case.
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Federal Proposal Aims to Protect Endangered Right Whales From Ship Strikes
NOAA Fisheries proposed a rule today to better protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from being run over and killed by vessels in U.S. waters. Vessel strikes are one of the two primary threats to right whales; the other is entanglement in fishing gear.
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Conservation Groups Demand Transparency on Horseshoe Crab Proposal Ahead of Commission Vote
Conservation groups sent a letter to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission this week strongly urging the body not to move forward with a proposal that would likely renew the killing of female horseshoe crabs for use as fishing bait.
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California Legislators Introduce Bill to Establish One of the Nation’s Largest Urban Wildlife Refuges
Today, Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) introduced legislation to establish the Western Riverside National Wildlife Refuge in one of the fastest growing counties in the nation.
jcovey@defenders.org
