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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.
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Three sea otters float in the water. There are hills or mountains in the distance in the background.

Construction on Gateway to Road through Izembek Continues

The Ninth Circuit today denied Defenders of Wildlife’s emergency motion to halt construction on King Cove Corp.’s 2.8-mile road segment leading to the doorstep of Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness. Defenders’ request for immediate injunctive relief marks the latest stage in its larger effort to block a damaging and precedent-setting road from King Cove to Cold Bay, Alaska, that would plow through the heart of Izembek.
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sea otter eye contact, CA

Rooted in Resilience: Sea Otter Awareness Week Returns for its 24th Year

Sea Otter Awareness Week is sponsored and organized by Defenders of Wildlife, Sea Otter Savvy, California State Parks, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Elakha Alliance and The Marine Mammal Center. Learn more about sea otters during Sea Otter Awareness Week at upcoming in-person and virtual events in California and Oregon.

Press Releases

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Capitol Building
Washington, DC

Over 1,600 Scientists Call for Conservation Funding to Solve the Biodiversity Crisis

Today the prestigious journal Science published a letter entitled “ Solve the biodiversity crisis with funding,” coauthored by scientists at Defenders of Wildlife and universities
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Capitol Building
Washington, DC

Congress Fights Back Against Trump-Bernhardt Extinction Plan

Today, Reps. Grijalva (D-AZ), Dingell (D-MI) and Beyer (D-VA), and Sen. Udall (D-NM), introduced bills to reverse the Trump administration’s attack on the Endangered Species
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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.
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