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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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North atlantic right whale
Washington, DC

U.S. House Adopts Amendment Adding $1.5 Million to Right Whale Funds

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted an amendment to the fiscal year 2021 Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill, increasing funding for monitoring and researching the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale by $1.5 million.
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Kemp's Ridley sea turtle South Padre Island, Texas
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas

Cuts to Sea Turtle Recovery Program Will Hurt Species

In June, a report published by the National Park Service recommends decreasing funding for the Padre Island National Seashore Sea Turtle Science and Recovery (STSR) program, even while no alternative funding plan is in place.
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Polar Bears
Washington, DC

Rep. Huffman Introduces Polar Bear Cub Survival Act

Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) introduced the Polar Bear Cub Survival Act of 2020 in response to reports that lease sales in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge are imminent. Drilling would further threaten the critically-imperiled Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population, especially by increasing the risk of death to newborn polar bear cubs sheltered in maternal dens in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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Polar Bears
Charlottesville, VA

Lawsuit: Government illegally “cut corners” to ram through NEPA changes

A group of 17 environmental organizations in a lawsuit today accused the government of racing through an industry-friendly rewrite of the National Environmental Policy Act
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Adolescent gray wolf howling near Lamar River in Yellowstone
Olympia, Wash.

Female Wolf Removed from Washington's Wolf Pack

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) today reported that a non-breeding adult female wolf from the Wedge pack in the Kettle Range in northeast Washington has been lethally removed, leaving two wolves in the pack. This action comes days after WDFW issued a lethal removal order for one wolf in this pack. WDFW has now moved to an evaluation period for both the Wedge and Togo wolf packs.
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