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black-footed ferret at the nat'l black-footed ferret conservation center
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Slams SPEED Act as it Speeds Toward Habitat Destruction

Defenders of Wildlife condemns Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) SPEED ACT, H.R. 4776 the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, ahead of Thursday’s expected floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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grizzly bear in Alaska
Washington, D.C.

ESA Amendments Act Poses a Historic Threat to America’s Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife remains on high alert as it braces for the House Natural Resources Committee’s full markup of Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) Endangered Species Amendments Act of 2025. More aptly labeled the Extinction Act, the bill seeks to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act, stripping away decades of crucial protections for America’s wildlife and their habitats.
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gray wolf walking with paw raised and looking at camera
Washington, D.C.

House Vote Scheduled on Ending Gray Wolf Protections, Undermining the Endangered Species Act

The House of Representatives is expected this Thursday to vote on ending gray wolf protections, prematurely delisting gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act before

Press Releases

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Flat Tailed Horned Lizard in California
Washington, DC

Horned Lizards Need International Protection

Defenders of Wildlife and our partners in the Species Survival Network are urgently seeking increased protections for all 21 species of horned lizards as their
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Wolf in Green Grass with Pup
Portland, ORE.

Authorization to Kill Six More Wolves From Oregon’s Lookout Mountain Pack Announced

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announced this week they are authorizing the killing of up to six additional members of the Lookout
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Mojave desert tortoise
San Francisco, CA

Lawsuit Targets Federal OK of Off-Road Routes, Grazing Threatening Imperiled Species in California Deserts

Environmental groups sued the Interior Department, U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today for authorizing damaging activities in the California Desert Conservation Area, including a vast network of off-road vehicle routes in the West Mojave Desert.
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Adolescent gray wolf howling near Lamar River in Yellowstone
Washington, DC

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Announces Status Review of Gray Wolves in Western U.S.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced yesterday that it will begin a comprehensive Endangered Species Act status review of the gray wolf in the western United States.
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Sea otter mom and pup
Monterey Bay, CA

Sea Otter Awareness Week to Focus on Importance of Nearshore Ecosystems 

Defenders of Wildlife, Sea Otter Savvy and California State Parks will celebrate Sea Otter Awareness Week September 19-25 with a focus on the living mosaic that forms the sea otter nearshore marine habitat. Sea Otter Awareness Week (SOAW) will include a series of webinars, informative and entertaining livestream and in-person events and attractions in California, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington State.
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
jpetrequin@defenders.org
(202) 772-0243
Communications Specialist
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268