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US Capitol Building Washington DC
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Opposes Reckless Reconciliation Energy Permitting Provisions in House Energy and Commerce Reconciliation Bill

Defenders of Wildlife strongly opposes the energy permitting provisions proposed in the draft Energy and Commerce Committee section of the House budget reconciliation bill.
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I'iwi bird - red bird on plant
Washington, D.C.

New Research Paper Finds Gaps in ESA Habitat Conservation Plan Program, Identifies Solutions

A new research paper by Defenders of Wildlife’s Center for Conservation Innovation on the Endangered Species Act’s Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) program reveals concerning information gaps inhibiting the complete assessment of the program’s impact and conservation outcomes.
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Brown Headed Cowbirds
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Applauds Rep. Huffman for New Migratory Bird Protection Act

Defenders of Wildlife today applauds Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) for his introduction of the Migratory Bird Protection Act of 2025.

Press Releases

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Gray bat
Washington, DC

To Prevent Pandemics We Need Stronger Wildlife Laws

As nations worldwide struggle to protect human health during the COVID-19 pandemic, wildlife experts are calling for lawmakers to address the link between human and wildlife health. In a paper published last month in Trends in Ecology and Evolution, scientists make the case that addressing the human-wildlife relationship is critical to keeping all communities and ecosystems safe from disease.
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Franklin's bumble bee
SACRAMENTO

Court Rules State of California Lacks Authority to Protect Imperiled Bumble Bee Species Under the California Endangered Species Act

This week, in a blow to imperiled bee and insect populations, the Sacramento County Superior Court issued a ruling in Almond Alliance v. California Fish and Game Commission (the Commission), deeming the State of California lacks authority to list four threatened bumble bee species as Endangered under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).
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Sage-Grouse on a hill
WASHINGTON

Trump Administration Finalizes Dangerous Amendments to Sage-Grouse Plans

The Bureau of Land Management has released its final greater sage-grouse supplemental environmental impact statements for Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada/northeastern California and Oregon.
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Tiger cub in Bandhavgarh
Washington, DC

Lawmakers in China Urged to Reduce Demand for Vulnerable Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife and more than 25 nonprofit organizations from India, Vietnam, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and Germany this week published an open letter to lawmakers in China urging them to act to reduce demand for wild animal species threatened with extinction.
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A grove of aspens burst into color near Forest Road 528 on the Rio Grande National Forest in Southern Colorado
Washington, DC

Trump Administration Announces Finalization of Destructive National Forest Rule

The Trump administration is poised to finalize a rule tomorrow that would make it easier to pursue the administration’s goal to ramp up logging and other harmful extractive activities within America’s treasured national forests.
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
zklein@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268