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Salt Marsh - Cumberland Island
ST. MARYS, GEORGIA

NPS Land Swaps and Visitor Plan Opens the Door to Devastating Impacts on Imperiled Wildlife at Cumberland Island

In advance of a public hearing on proposed land exchanges on Cumberland Island National Seashore, Defenders of Wildlife called on the National Park Service to remedy a host of management issues facing one of the largest undeveloped barrier islands on the East Coast.
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2019.08.07 - Florida Panther looking straight at camera - MS 45 - fStop Foundation
WASHINGTON, D.C.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Memo Underscores Trump Administration’s All-Fronts War on Wildlife

Brian Nesvik, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, issued a memorandum explaining to FWS staff that the Endangered Species Act’s prohibition on unauthorized “take” applies only to affirmative acts intentionally and purposefully directed at a particular animal. This follows the Trump administration’s rescission of the regulatory definitions of “harm” under the ESA, which took effect this week.
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A close up of the face of a Sierra Nevada Red Fox at the edge of a forest in Deschutes County, Oregon.
Washington, D.C.

Court Rules Habitat Must Be Protected After FWS Attempts to Waive Protections for Less Than 40 Sierra Nevada Red Fox

Defenders of Wildlife earned a significant victory for the Endangered Species Act today when a federal district court found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to not designate critical habitat for the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox was a violation of the law.

Press Releases

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Salmon
Seattle, WA

Report Releases Findings on Lower Snake River Stakeholder Process as Washington Looks to Save Orcas

Today marked the release of official findings from a stakeholder process regarding the removal of four dams from the lower Snake River.
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Desert-National-Wildlife-Refuge
Washington, DC

Proposed Legislation on Military Use of Desert National Wildlife Refuge Shortchanges Wildlife Protection

Today Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced legislation that would renew military use of the Nevada Test and Training Range and expand Air Force control over Desert National Wildlife Refuge.
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ocelot
Washington, DC

Bad News for Wildlife: Border Wall Funding Approved in 2020 Spending Bill

After weeks of negotiations, Congress unveiled the $1.4 trillion package that will raise discretionary federal spending by $49 billion for the rest of fiscal 2020.
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Mexican Gray Wolf
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

Two More Mexican Gray Wolves Caught in Traps as Incidents Continue in New Mexico

Defenders of Wildlife has learned that two more Mexican gray wolves were recently caught in foothold traps in New Mexico.
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Polar Bear
Anchorage, AK

Defenders Statement on National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Lease Sale, IAP Hearing

The Trump administration will be holding an oil and gas lease sale for 4 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) today. Lease sales in the NPRA have been held annually since 2011. The last two lease sales in the reserve brought in $1 million and $1.5 million, respectively.
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