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okee
South Korea

Defenders Celebrates Vote to Add Okefenokee Refuge to UNESCO World Heritage List

The United Nations World Heritage Committee voted to add the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to its World Heritage List.
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sea turtle
Washington, D.C.

Conservation Groups Plan to Sue Trump Over Attempts to Eliminate Protections for Threatened Species & Favor Corporate Interests Instead of Science

Conservation groups notified the Trump administration of their plans to challenge two rulemakings weakening the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that were finalized today.
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Florida Panther
WASHINGTON, D.C.

In a Gift to Industry, The Trump Administration Eliminates Protections for Threatened Species and Essential Habitat

In a devastating blow to wildlife, the Trump administration today finalized rollbacks of two regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act that will hamstring the protection and recovery of endangered and threatened species.

Press Releases

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wind turbines
Washington, DC

New Executive Orders Prioritize Climate, Wildlife and Public Lands

Today, President Biden released a second round of conservation-related executive orders as part of a broader package to act on climate. These orders expand on
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Bald eagle sitting at the top of an evergreen tree
Washington, DC

New Report Advances Climate Adaptation Plans for Wildlife

This week, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies announced the release of a new report “ Advancing the National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate
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Red wolf in Alligator River NWR
Raleigh, NC

Court Sides with World’s Most Endangered Wolf

Last week, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must resume releasing captive Red Wolves into the wild, a major victory for the species. The case, filed on behalf of Defenders of Wildlife, Red Wolf Coalition and Animal Welfare Institute by the Southern Environmental Law Center, will help bolster the wild population which resides in the Red Wolf Recovery Area in Eastern North Carolina.
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Shortfin mako shark
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife Petitions to Protect Imperiled Shortfin Mako Shark

Defenders of Wildlife today petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service to protect the shortfin mako shark under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The species has declined dramatically across the world’s oceans because of overfishing and fisheries bycatch. The shortfin mako is the fastest-swimming shark on record.
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Right Whale
Wassaw Island, GA

Thirteenth Critically Endangered Right Whale Calf of the Season Spotted Near Georgia

Yesterday, NOAA Fisheries announced that a newborn North Atlantic right whale had been spotted near Wassaw Island, Georgia, making it the 13th calf of the 2020-2021 calving season. The newborn was accompanied by its 14-year-old mother. This calf is the mother’s first.
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