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Canada lynx family
Washington, D.C.

New Defenders Report Analyzes Strengths and Gaps in Section 4(d) Protections for Threatened Species

Defenders of Wildlife today released a report assessing how federal wildlife agencies have applied section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act over the past decade.
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Whooping cranes at Aransas NWR
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Presses Forward in Lawsuit Against ESA 4(d) Rescission

Defenders of Wildlife today filed an amended complaint challenging the Trump administration’s rescission of the Endangered Species Act’s blanket 4(d) rule with co-plaintiffs, the Center for Biological Diversity.
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Black-footed ferret sticking head out of burrow looking towards camera
Topeka, Kansas

Black-Footed Ferrets Secure Critical Win, Following Public Outcry

A transmission line in Kansas will be modified to avoid impact on the endangered black-footed ferret, a significant win driven by individuals across the Plains.

Press Releases

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Prairie dog mom and pup

Ill-Conceived Change to Thunder Basin National Grassland Management Plan Quashes Hope for Successful Black-Footed Ferret Recovery

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) released a record of decision today on a management plan amendment for Thunder Basin National Grassland in Wyoming, finalizing a rollback of crucial protections for prairie dogs at the site. The end of these protections is a fatal blow to the prospective reintroduction of critically endangered black-footed ferrets to Thunder Basin, which has been managed as a future reintroduction site since 1988.
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Group of oceanic whitetip sharks swimming over coral reef with fish surrounding them
Washington, DC

International Conferences Canceled, Leaving Species with Less Protections

As with many events worldwide in 2020, the conferences that create stronger international wildlife policies have been canceled too. These cancelations mean that imperiled wildlife will have to wait another year for new recommendations, measures, and decisions when a million species are already under threat of extinction and have yet to receive protection.
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Belugas
Anchorage, AK

Groups Praise Army Corps Denial of Pebble Mine Permit, Call for Lasting Protections

Groups advocating for the protection of Bristol Bay waterways, salmon, and communities applaud the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision today to deny a Clean Water Act permit for the proposed Pebble mine.
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Gray wolf caught on camera trap sniffing

Prancing in the Moonlight: Photos Capture Colorado Wolves Playing at Night

Two gray wolves were captured on film as they played last month in Northwest Colorado, the first documentation in several months of Colorado’s first wolf pack in more than 75 years. These rare images were captured by a trail camera set up by Defenders of Wildlife in Moffat County.
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Gray bat
Washington, DC

To Prevent Pandemics We Need Stronger Wildlife Laws

As nations worldwide struggle to protect human health during the COVID-19 pandemic, wildlife experts are calling for lawmakers to address the link between human and wildlife health. In a paper published last month in Trends in Ecology and Evolution, scientists make the case that addressing the human-wildlife relationship is critical to keeping all communities and ecosystems safe from disease.
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