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Defenders of Wildlife Welcomes Stefan Ekernas as New Vice President of Species Conservation & Coexistence
Defenders of Wildlife is proud to announce Stephan Ekernas as its new Vice President of Species Conservation and Coexistence, where he will oversee Defenders’ field conservation programs.
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Trump Administration Opens Door to Bear Baiting, Den Hunting in Alaska Preserves
The National Park Service finalized a regulation that abdicates the agency's responsibility to manage wildlife in Alaska's national preserves, deferring instead to state regulations. Defenders of Wildlife condemns the rule, which mirrors a 2020 regulation promulgated by the first Trump administration that was later withdrawn and replaced in 2024.
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BLM Prepares Illegal Move to Open Ouray National Wildlife Refuge to Oil & Gas, a Dangerous Precedent for Wildlife
Defenders of Wildlife is calling on BLM to withdrawal an unprecedented proposal to open Ouray National Wildlife Refuge in Utah to new oil and gas leasing.
Press Releases
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Biden Signs Infrastructure Bill Into Law with Billions for Wildlife Habitat and Climate Resiliency
Today, President Biden signed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. The law will make significant investments in wildlife habitat and green infrastructure over the next decade. It is one of the largest infrastructure investments in the nation’s history and garnered bipartisan support in the House and Senate.
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Withdraws Flawed Red Wolf Rule
This week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced they would withdraw a 2018 proposed rule that would have shrunk the North Carolina-based Red Wolf recovery area (NC NEP) by 90 percent, severely hampering recovery efforts.
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Federal Court Hears Arguments for Reinstating Federal Gray Wolf Protections
Defenders of Wildlife and several conservation groups, represented by Earthjustice, argued in court that gray wolves in the Lower 48 states should regain federal Endangered Species Act protections. The hearing took place today in the Northern District Court of California, with Senior U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey White presiding.
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Court Rejects Federal Attempt to Sink Right Whale Ship Strike Lawsuit
A federal court Wednesday rejected the Biden administration's effort to dismiss a lawsuit aimed at protecting critically endangered right whales from being run over and killed by ships and boats in U.S. waters.
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District Court Judge to Hear Arguments in Lawsuit to Relist Lower 48 Gray Wolf
Defenders of Wildlife, represented by Earthjustice, will present oral arguments Friday in U.S. District Court in a case that will decide whether federal Endangered Species Act protection is restored to gray wolves across much of the country.
jcovey@defenders.org
