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black-footed ferret at the nat'l black-footed ferret conservation center
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Slams SPEED Act as it Speeds Toward Habitat Destruction

Defenders of Wildlife condemns Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) SPEED ACT, H.R. 4776 the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, ahead of Thursday’s expected floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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grizzly bear in Alaska
Washington, D.C.

ESA Amendments Act Poses a Historic Threat to America’s Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife remains on high alert as it braces for the House Natural Resources Committee’s full markup of Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) Endangered Species Amendments Act of 2025. More aptly labeled the Extinction Act, the bill seeks to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act, stripping away decades of crucial protections for America’s wildlife and their habitats.
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gray wolf walking with paw raised and looking at camera
Washington, D.C.

House Vote Scheduled on Ending Gray Wolf Protections, Undermining the Endangered Species Act

The House of Representatives is expected this Thursday to vote on ending gray wolf protections, prematurely delisting gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act before

Press Releases

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Tongass wolf
Sitka, AK

Endangered Species Protections Sought for Rare Wolf in Southeast Alaska

The Center for Biological Diversity, Alaska Rainforest Defenders and Defenders of Wildlife petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today to give Endangered Species Act protections to the Alexander Archipelago wolf in Southeast Alaska.
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Kenai Peninsula, AK. Junction of Seward and Sterling Hwy
Washington, D.C.

Getting to 30x30: New Report Outlines How to Protect 30% of U.S. Land and Sea by 2030

As momentum builds for protecting 30% of land and ocean by 2030, so too does the evidence to justify the biological and economic benefits of protecting at least 30% of Earth. Now, a new report from Defenders of Wildlife report outlines how we can work towards achieving this ambitious goal in the U.S.
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Black-footed ferrets
Laramie, WY

New Plan Disastrous for Endangered Black-footed Ferret

Late last night, several wildlife conservation organizations filed a formal objection over the U.S. Forest Service’s proposed amendment to Thunder Basin National Grassland’s land management
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Dunes Sagebrush Lizard
SILVER CITY, N.M.

Dunes Sagebrush Lizard One Step Closer to Endangered Species Protections

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that the dunes sagebrush lizard may warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act and initiated a year-long status review.
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Capitol Building
WASHINGTON

House DHS Budget Prioritizes Border Communities

Today, the House Appropriations Committee marked up its proposed FY21 spending bill.
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
jpetrequin@defenders.org
(202) 772-0243
Communications Specialist
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268