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Trump Administration Calls on “God Squad” to Weaken Endangered Species Act Protections
The Trump administration today announced its intent to convene the Endangered Species Committee — colloquially known as the “God Squad”— on March 31, 2026, to consider an exemption under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for oil and gas-related activities in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Defenders of Wildlife Unveils 2025 Conservation Report Card for 119th Congress
Defenders of Wildlife today released its 2025 Conservation Report Card for the 119th Congress, measuring members’ commitment to upholding federal laws that protect wildlife conservation during its first session.
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Defenders of Wildlife Sues FWS Over Extensive FOIA Request Delays
Defenders of Wildlife today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, citing the agency’s extensive delay in fulfilling eight Freedom of Information Act requests related to land exchanges within the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Press Releases
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New Wild Ocelot Kitten Photographed in Texas
This week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced a new ocelot kitten in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. This news, announced on the refuge’s Facebook page, is encouraging news for a species on the brink of extinction in the U.S. But the population remains at risk without sustained efforts to protect this wild cat and its habitat.
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Court Orders U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Determine Whether Northern Long-eared Bat Warrants Listing as Endangered Species
A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine whether the northern long-eared bat warrants listing as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act by December 2022 after remanding the Service’s flawed threatened listing last year.
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Congress Urged to Boost Funding for Endangered Species Conservation by $300 Million
More than 170 groups today urged Congress to significantly increase the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s budget for endangered species conservation from $291.7 million to
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33 Members of Congress Urge Action on Red Wolf Restoration
Today, 33 U.S. representatives sent a letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) leaders urging the agency to immediately implement a comprehensive plan to prevent the extinction of the critically endangered Red Wolf.
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Oregon Wolf OR-93 Makes History, Traveling to California's Central Sierra Nevada
This week, a gray wolf from western Oregon dubbed OR-93 became the first collaRed Wolf to explore the central Sierra region of California. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), OR-93, a former member of the White River Pack near Mt. Hood, has traveled farther south into the state than any known wild wolf in a century, a historic journey that highlights the importance of habitat connectivity and the dispersal ability of this iconic species.
jcovey@defenders.org
