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Stefan Ekernas
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Welcomes Stefan Ekernas as New Vice President of Species Conservation & Coexistence

Defenders of Wildlife is proud to announce Stephan Ekernas as its new Vice President of Species Conservation and Coexistence, where he will oversee Defenders’ field conservation programs.
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brown bear
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Trump Administration Opens Door to Bear Baiting, Den Hunting in Alaska Preserves

The National Park Service finalized a regulation that abdicates the agency's responsibility to manage wildlife in Alaska's national preserves, deferring instead to state regulations. Defenders of Wildlife condemns the rule, which mirrors a 2020 regulation promulgated by the first Trump administration that was later withdrawn and replaced in 2024.
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Washington, DC

BLM Prepares Illegal Move to Open Ouray National Wildlife Refuge to Oil & Gas, a Dangerous Precedent for Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife is calling on BLM to withdrawal an unprecedented proposal to open Ouray National Wildlife Refuge in Utah to new oil and gas leasing.

Press Releases

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Mexican Gray Wolf
Albuquerque, N.M.

New Mexico State Game Commission Votes to Rejoin Wolf Recovery Program

The New Mexico State Game Commission voted today to rejoin the Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program.
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Choptank River, MD
Charleston, SC

Conservation Groups Challenge Repeal of Clean Water Act Protections in Federal Court

Conservation groups today challenged in court the administration’s effort to strip away crucial clean water protections from rivers, lakes, streams and other waters that feed drinking-water sources for 200 million Americans and 32 million people in the South, or seven out of ten Southerners.
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Panther
St. Petersburg, FL

Statement on Deaths of Florida Panthers Suffering from Mystery Illness

Today, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced that the agency has confirmed neurological damage in one panther and one bobcat through necropsy.
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Juvenile chinook salmon
SACRAMENTO

Trump Administration Guts Endangered Species Act Protections for San Francisco Bay-Delta Fish

Today, USFWS and NMFS released new Endangered Species Act biological opinions for endangered salmon and other fish species in the San Francisco Bay-Delta.
Washington, DC

Stunning Losses to Wildlife, Biodiversity Demand Action

October 22, 2019 kicks off the six-month countdown to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.
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