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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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Right Whale
Washington, DC

Statement on North Atlantic Right Whale Death

Yesterday, a dead North Atlantic right whale was discovered four miles south of Fire Island inlet near Long Island, New York.
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Hellbender Kat Diersen
Nashville, TN

Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy Awarded $100,000 to Support the Eastern Hellbender Salamander

The Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy (ARC) has received a $100,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) that will be used for programs that help conserve and protect the eastern hellbender salamander. ARC and conservation partner Defenders of Wildlife contributed $50,000 each in matching funds for a total conservation impact of $200,000.
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Laysan Albatross Chick in Marine Debris
Sacramento, CA

SB 1 Passes and Californians, Imperiled Species Win Over Industrial Water Interests

Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the California Environmental, Public Health and Worker’s Defense Act of 2019, was authored by Senator Toni Atkins. SB 1 is designed to defend California’s clean air, water, and wildlife from the reckless attempts by the Trump administration to derail key protections, including dramatically weakening the federal Endangered Species Act, repealing the Clean Water Rule and jeopardizing the drinking water supplies of millions of Americans, and loosening prohibitions on the importation of trophy hunted endangered species.
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Lesser Prairie Chicken

Lesser Prairie Chickens One Step Closer to Endangered Species Protection

Conservation groups scored a victory today with a legal agreement ensuring the lesser prairie chicken will get a decision about protection under the ESA.
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Polar Bear
Washington, DC

U.S. House Passes Legislation to Protect Arctic Refuge in Historic Vote

Today in a historic vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed (225-193) the Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act, bipartisan legislation that would halt the Trump administration in its efforts to pursue oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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