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Bobcat
Washington, D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Partners with Rep. Don Beyer on Monumental Corridors Act

Defenders of Wildlife today celebrated the introduction of the Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026, a landmark bill that would establish a national framework for identifying, designating and protecting wildlife corridors across the country.
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Wild Red Wolf
Washington, D.C.

House Leadership Pulls Historic Vote Following Intense Public Pressure

The GOP Leadership in the House of Representatives today pulled its scheduled vote on Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) ESA Amendments Act of 2025 — more aptly called the Extinction Act.
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Public Domain
Washington, D.C.

House to Vote on Gutting Bedrock Endangered Species Act

As the nation celebrates Earth Day this week, the House of Representatives will cast an historic vote on a bill to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act, which was enacted more than 50 years ago to protect America’s wildlife from extinction.

Press Releases

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Border wall
Washington, DC

Border Groups Call on Congress to Reject Funding for Border Wall Construction

Congress has included $1.375 billion in funding for border wall construction in this year's appropriations package. This request comes just days before President-elect Biden takes office. Biden has publicly mentioned several times his administration will not build another mile of border wall.
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Gray wolf howling
Portland, Ore.

Oregon Works to Combat Wildlife Poaching After Agency Reports Multiple Incidents in 2020

The Fish and Wildlife Division of Oregon State Police issued a notice in late October announcing a second wolf poaching in Baker County. The wolf, a sub-adult female from the Pine Creek pack, was found in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.
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Rep. Deb Haaland
Washington, DC

Biden Administration Makes Historic Appointment for Interior Secretary Post

The following statement is from Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, on President-elect Biden’s nomination of Rep. Deb Haaland to serve as the first Native American Secretary of the Department of the Interior as reported by The Washington Post.
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Polar Bear family, Churchill, Manitoba
Anchorage, AK

Indigenous, allied groups go to court to stop issuance of Arctic Refuge leases

The Gwich’in Steering Committee and 12 allied groups filed a motion in U.S. District Court today requesting a preliminary injunction to stop the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from issuing any leases sold in the Jan. 6 sale of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and from authorizing seismic exploration activities.
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A young polar bear walks down the rocky coast towards the water in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Anchorage, AK

Bureau of Land Management Racing to Permit Destructive Seismic Exploration in Arctic Refuge

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a draft environmental assessment (EA) today regarding a seismic exploration project proposed in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this winter.
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