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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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Gray wolf yellowstone Lamar valley

Pack of Gray Wolves Discovered in Colorado Grounds for Cautious Optimism

The day after a measure to reintroduce the gray wolf to Colorado was approved for November’s ballot, Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced that approximately six gray wolves have likely crossed over the Wyoming border into northwest Colorado.
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Sierra-Nevada-Red-Fox
SACRAMENTO

FWS Proposes to List the Critically Endangered Sierra Nevada Red Fox

In a positive development for the Sierra Nevada red fox, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced this week its proposal to list the species as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
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Right Whale
Savannah, GA

Days-Old North Atlantic Right Whale Calf Struck by Ship

The fourth North Atlantic right whale calf born this season has already been severely wounded. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced Thursday morning that the calf had two “parallel and s-shaped” injuries along its body, consistent with wounds caused by boat propellers.
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Florida panther
Washington, DC

New App Tracks State-specific Endangered Species Protections

For more than 45 years, the U.S. federal government has played a critical roel in protecting endangered and threatened species through the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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Polar Bear
Washington, DC

Trump Administration Removes Climate Change from NEPA Planning Process

The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) announced proposed regulatory changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
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