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Defenders of Wildlife Partners with Rep. Don Beyer on Monumental Corridors Act
Defenders of Wildlife today celebrated the introduction of the Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026, a landmark bill that would establish a national framework for identifying, designating and protecting wildlife corridors across the country.
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House Leadership Pulls Historic Vote Following Intense Public Pressure
The GOP Leadership in the House of Representatives today pulled its scheduled vote on Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) ESA Amendments Act of 2025 — more aptly called the Extinction Act.
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House to Vote on Gutting Bedrock Endangered Species Act
As the nation celebrates Earth Day this week, the House of Representatives will cast an historic vote on a bill to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act, which was enacted more than 50 years ago to protect America’s wildlife from extinction.
Press Releases
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Emergency Petition Seeks to Protect Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales From Fishing Gear
Conservation and wildlife-protection groups today filed an emergency rulemaking petition to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from becoming entangled in commercial fishing gear.
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Ill-Conceived Change to Thunder Basin National Grassland Management Plan Quashes Hope for Successful Black-Footed Ferret Recovery
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) released a record of decision today on a management plan amendment for Thunder Basin National Grassland in Wyoming, finalizing a rollback of crucial protections for prairie dogs at the site. The end of these protections is a fatal blow to the prospective reintroduction of critically endangered black-footed ferrets to Thunder Basin, which has been managed as a future reintroduction site since 1988.
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International Conferences Canceled, Leaving Species with Less Protections
As with many events worldwide in 2020, the conferences that create stronger international wildlife policies have been canceled too. These cancelations mean that imperiled wildlife will have to wait another year for new recommendations, measures, and decisions when a million species are already under threat of extinction and have yet to receive protection.
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Groups Praise Army Corps Denial of Pebble Mine Permit, Call for Lasting Protections
Groups advocating for the protection of Bristol Bay waterways, salmon, and communities applaud the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision today to deny a Clean Water Act permit for the proposed Pebble mine.
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Prancing in the Moonlight: Photos Capture Colorado Wolves Playing at Night
Two gray wolves were captured on film as they played last month in Northwest Colorado, the first documentation in several months of Colorado’s first wolf pack in more than 75 years. These rare images were captured by a trail camera set up by Defenders of Wildlife in Moffat County.
jcovey@defenders.org
