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brown bear
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

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condemns the rule, which mirrors a 2020 regulation promulgated by the first Trump administration that was later withdrawn and replaced in 2024.
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Washington, DC

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.
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Jake Li Testimony at EPW
WASHINGTON, D.C.

A Much-Needed Win for Wildlife: Senate Introduces Bill to Improve Endangered Species Act Implementation

Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Pete Rickets (R-NE) today introduced the Improving Species Recovery Act, an important bipartisan bill that would improve implementation of the Endangered Species Act.

Press Releases

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Ocelot looking up
Washington, DC

Take Down the Wall to Protect Imperiled Species

In addition to harming human communities, border wall construction in recent years has destroyed some of the nation’s most valuable wildlife habitat and blocked critical wildlife movement at a continental scale, including within national parks, wildlife refuges, monuments and wilderness areas.
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Block Island Wind Farm
Washington, DC

Biden Administration Releases Pro-Wildlife, Environment Budget Proposal

Today, President Biden released top-line spending numbers for departments and federal agencies that will prioritize funding for climate change, renewable energy projects and wildlife conservation
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View of Cedar Mesa - Bears Ears National Monument - Utah
Washington, DC

Secretary Haaland in Utah to Discuss Restoration of Utah National Monuments

This week, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is in Utah meeting with stakeholders, Tribes and elected leaders to inform the White House’s next steps regarding the
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Green Sea Turtle
Washington, DC

Groups Sue to Prevent Imperiled Sea Turtles From Drowning in Fishing Nets

Conservation groups filed a lawsuit today to prevent sea turtles from drowning when they get caught in shrimp trawl nets in the Gulf of Mexico and southeast Atlantic.
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Southern sea otters float at Moss Landing, California.
Sacramento, Calif.

Salmon Fishers Can Help Save Sea Otters

This weekend marked the beginning of the recreational salmon season in the ocean south of San Francisco, and anglers will flock to harbors along the central California coast to launch their boats and try their luck. This increased fishing activity brings concerns about sea otter safety as more boaters venture into waters where hard-to-spot sea otters forage for food.
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