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Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle is on his way home after being released from a cold-stun rehab center.
New Orleans, LA

Defenders Celebrates U.S. Appeals Court Ruling to Protect Imperiled Sea Turtles from Drowning in Fishing Nets

A federal appeals court upheld the rule requiring shrimp trawling vessels to use turtle excluder devices so that sea turtles can avoid getting caught in nets.
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 Izembek National Wildlife Refuge - Izembek Volcanoe
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

District Court Okays Bulldozing a Road to the Doorstep of Izembek Wilderness

A federal district court in Alaska today allowed construction to begin on a 2.8-mile road segment on KCC lands to connect to a 10.5-mile road within Izembek.
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sea otter eye contact, CA
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

Gov. Newsom Signs Legislation to Help Fund Sea Otter Conservation

Gov. Newsom signed into law the California Sea Otter Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund. Defenders of Wildlife was the sole sponsor of the bill.

Press Releases

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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.
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Photo of the White House in Washington, DC
Washington, DC

Trump Administration Finalizes New Rule That Weakens the Endangered Species Act

Tomorrow the Trump administration is slated to finalize a rule that further erodes the Endangered Species Act, the one of the nation’s most effective and most popular laws.
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Sierra Nevada Red Fox
Washington, DC

Interior Finalizes Habitat Definition, Further Undermines the Endangered Species Act

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a rule today that defines habitat under the Endangered Species Act and allows the government to deny critical habitat protections for endangered plants and animals—a change that could open lands and waterways to more energy development and other activities.
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Bison Yellowstone National Park snow storm
Las Animas, CO

10 Bison Arrive in Southeastern Colorado, Marking Start of New Conservation Herd

Last Friday, Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT), Colorado State University (CSU) and Defenders of Wildlife successfully completed the week-long transfer of 10 bison, marking the beginning of a new conservation herd at SPLT’s Heartland Ranch Nature Preserve in southeastern Colorado. After an adjustment period, the bison will be released into their larger pasture.
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Growling wolverine
Missoula, MT

Conservation Groups Sue Feds Over Failure to Protect Wolverines

A coalition of conservation groups filed a lawsuit today challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to withhold Endangered Species Act protection from wolverines in the lower 48 states, where no more than 300 wolverines remain. Without the new conservation efforts that would be triggered by the Endangered Species Act listing, wolverines face localized extinction as a result of climate change, habitat fragmentation and low genetic diversity.
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