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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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Mojave Desert Tortoise
St. George, UT

Federal Agencies Release Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on a Highway Right-of-Way Through Red Cliffs National Conservation Area

Today the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) released a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to reconsider a
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Andrew Bowman headshot
Washington, D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Announces Andrew Bowman as Next President and CEO

Defenders of Wildlife today announced the selection of Andrew Bowman as its new president and CEO. Bowman brings more than 25 years of conservation and non-profit management experience to Defenders.
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2016.06.01 - Red Wolf Foster Pups Cuddling - Ryan Nordsven USFWS
Manns Harbor, NC

Red Wolf Pups Born in the Wild Give Hope to Critically Endangered Species

“The Milltail pack’s story is one of resilience and has us all rooting for them every day. Every pup born in the wild brings us closer to recovery for the world’s most endangered canid, and is a clear sign that the Red Wolves can survive and thrive if managed properly,” said Heather Clarkson, Southeast representative at Defenders of Wildlife.
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condors
California

President Biden Expands Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument to Permanently Protect Molok Luyuk

Defenders of Wildlife applauds President Joe Biden’s announcement that he is using the Antiquities Act to expand the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument to include
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2020.03.25 - Gray wolf - Oregon - ODFW
Washington, DC

House Passes Bill to Delist Gray Wolves from the Endangered Species Act

In a disappointing defeat for the overwhelming majority of Americans who support the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 209-205 to pass
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