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okee
Washington, D.C.

Fish and Wildlife Review Misses the Mark, Historic Opportunity to Strengthen Refuge System

In response to the FWS review of the National Wildlife Refuge System, Defenders released its own report detailing a crisis downplayed by the FWS.
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Bald eagle at sunset
Washington, D.C.

Wave of Change in Midterm Results Brings Lifeline to Wildlife

A dramatic shift in the majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate and in five gubernatorial elections sparks hope for America’s wildlife.
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Canada lynx family
Washington, D.C.

New Defenders Report Analyzes Strengths and Gaps in Section 4(d) Protections for Threatened Species

Defenders of Wildlife today released a report assessing how federal wildlife agencies have applied section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act over the past decade.

Press Releases

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North atlantic right whale
Portland, ME

Defenders of Wildlife Intervenes in Maine Lawsuit in Order to Protect Right Whales

Today, Defenders of Wildlife, along with the Conservation Law Foundation and Center for Biological Diversity, filed to intervene in a case filed by the Maine Lobstering Union (MLU) in the District of Maine on September 27, 2021.
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Polar bears on ice
Washington, D.C.

New Assessment of Polar Bear Populations Underway as Climate Change Worsens

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that it will conduct a five-year review of polar bear populations. Polar bears are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act, which requires FWS to review the status of the species periodically. The most recent review was conducted in 2017.
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Mountain bluebird Great Sand Dunes National Park
Washington, DC

Biden Administration Reverses Trump Rule That Gutted Migratory Bird Protections

In a critical win for wildlife, today the Biden administration announced it would be reversing a Trump administration rule that gutted protections for more than 1,000 species of migratory birds.
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Ivory-billed Woodpecker by artist Louis Agassiz Fuertes
Washington, D.C.

23 Species Lost to Extinction

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced their proposal to remove 23 species from the list of threatened and endangered species protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) today because they are believed to be extinct. These species join the list of 11 others previously delisted due to extinction, and the hundreds of other scientists estimate have been lost in the last 200 years.
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Williamson’s Sapsucker on a branch
Washington, DC

Urban Refuge in California Will Help Protect Biodiversity and Increase Equitable Access to Nature

Habitat loss is one of the main drivers of the biodiversity crisis and today, Urban National Wildlife Refuge Day, is a call to action. We must act to protect habitat for imperiled species and provide access to nature for all- specifically in Riverside County, California, one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation.
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