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Caribou migrating through Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Defenders Slams Lease Sale in Arctic Refuge

The Bureau of Land Management today opened nine bids on five tracts regarding an oil and gas lease sale on the Coastal Plain of the
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Snowy Plover
Washington, D.C.

President Trump Rescinds Long Standing Executive Orders Designed to Conserve Wildlife and Federal Lands from Unmanaged Motorized Recreation

President Trump last Friday issued an Executive Order rescinding EOs 11644 and 11989 which guide the management of ATVs, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, jet skis and other off-road motorized vehicles on federal lands. President Trump also ordered federal agencies to rescind or revise regulations that implement the prior EOs.
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wolverine
Washington, D.C.

House Interior Bill Attacks Crucial Protections for Imperiled Wildlife and Public Lands

Defenders of Wildlife today slammed the House Appropriations Committee’s proposed Interior and Environment spending bill for Fiscal Year 2027, which includes numerous damaging policy riders intended to weaken the Endangered Species Act and undermine protections for individual species.

Press Releases

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Mexican gray wolf
Tucson, AZ

Court Ruling: Federal Government Must Address Poaching in Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Plan

In response to a lawsuit by conservation groups, a judge has ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) must add specific actions to address the poaching of Mexican gray wolves in their plan for the species’ recovery.
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Mojave Desert Tortoise, Mojave Max, on stones

What is Desert Tortoise Week Without Tortoises?

During the week of October 4, 14 federal, state and local government agencies and conservation organizations celebrated the third annual Desert Tortoise Week. This event, organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), provides opportunities for the public to learn about the life history and conservation needs of this iconic desert species.
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Sagebrush Sea with mountains at sunset.
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife Launches New Campaign to Expand the National Wildlife Refuge System

To address the biodiversity and climate crises and to promote more equitable access to the outdoors, Defenders of Wildlife today announced a new campaign to expand the National Wildlife Refuge System – the only federal lands system dedicated to the protection of wildlife.
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Bald eagle sitting at the top of an evergreen tree
Madison, Wisconsin

Conservation Groups File to Pause Transmission Line Construction to Protect Wildlife Refuge

Today, four conservation groups including Defenders of Wildlife, filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to temporarily halt construction of a new high-voltage transmission line that would threaten the protected Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and Wisconsin’s Driftless Area.
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Bald eagle
Washington, DC

Biden Administration Restores Protections for Three National Monuments

Today, the Biden administration signed three proclamations restoring protections for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monuments.
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
Communications Specialist
estern@defenders.org
202-772-0243