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2021.11.26 - A small herd of caribou in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge - Alaska - Katrina Liebich-UWFWS.jpeg
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

DOI Trades Away Alaskan Refuges, Sells Out Public Lands

The Trump administration dealt a blow to the National Wildlife Refuge System by removing protections from the Arctic and Izembek National Wildlife Refuges. During what
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Bison in field
Wolf Point, Mont.

Proposed Biodiversity Credit Pilot Program a First for Tribes, Healthy Grasslands

A new conservation pilot program will offer industry leaders the opportunity to contribute to the return of bison to tribal lands, which will in turn
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Southern Sea Otter on its Back with Tag on its Foot
Olympia, WA

Defenders Offers Reward for Information on Sea Otter Poaching

The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed that a federally protected sea otter was illegally tortured and killed in February 2025. Both FWS and Defenders

Press Releases

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Williamson’s Sapsucker on a branch
Riverside, California

Proposed Riverside County National Wildlife Refuge Gains Valuable Congressional Allies, Broad Community Support

At a hike within the boundaries of the proposed National Wildlife Refuge in western Riverside County, representatives from Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) and Rep. Ken
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beluga whale
Alaska

New Defenders of Wildlife Study Identifies Chief Threats to Cook Inlet Belugas Recovery

Findings in a new Defenders of Wildlife study published in Frontiers in Marine Science, show that threats like pollution and prey limitations are preventing recovery
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Jaguar on a log
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife Assists Ecuador with International Wildlife Trade Treaty Compliance

A collaboration between Defenders of Wildlife and the Ecuadorian government yielded new legislation that will bring the nation back into compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
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Akepa, endangered, found in Hakalau Forest NWR

Congress Urged to Increase Spending to $700 Million for Endangered Species Conservation

Citing the global extinction crisis, more than 150 groups urged Congress today to significantly increase the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s budget for endangered species conservation from $300 million to $704 million — an increase of more than $400 million over the fiscal year 2022 budget.
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Wildlife Crossing Bridge Over Two Lane Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park
Portland, ORE.

Oregon Legislature Designates $7 Million for Wildlife Crossings

In a first for the state of Oregon, state policymakers approved $7 million dollars in funding for building and maintaining wildlife crossings in the state.
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
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