Image
Rice's Whale
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Slams Unlawful God Squad Vote to Strip Endangered Species Act Protection from Wildlife in the Gulf

Defenders of Wildlife strongly opposes today’s vote by the Endangered Species Committee, or God Squad, to condemn species to extinction in the name of a fictitious “national security emergency.”
Image
Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge at sunset
Washington, D.C.

Court Victory for Florida Wetlands Protection

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled today that permits to build in wetlands should stay in the hands of
Image
Willet
Washington, D.C.

Sec. of Defense Invokes False “National Security” Rationale to Eviscerate Endangered Species Act Protections for Wildlife in the Gulf

In a litigation filing yesterday in federal district court, the Trump administration publicly admitted for the first time that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum scheduled a snap meeting of the Endangered Species Committee (the “God Squad”) for March 31 at the request of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Press Releases

Image
Great blue heron with fish
Chapel Hill, NC

Bird sanctuary protected from planned toxic chemical use this year

As a result of a lawsuit filed by SELC on behalf of Defenders of Wildlife and the Sierra Club last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to halt its plans to turn an iconic migratory bird sanctuary into a testing ground this summer for a chemical that is toxic to birds.
Image
2023.04.27 - Northern Bobwhite Eggs Burned - Texas - Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program (CC BY-ND 2.0).jpg
BOCA CHICA, TEXAS

Defenders responds to report on shorebird losses at Boca Chica after SpaceX Starship Launch

Defenders of Wildlife released the following response to a Coastal Bend & Bay Estuaries Program report that points to shorebird nest losses following the June
Image
Black-footed ferret poking out of a hole
WALL, SD

Defenders Prepares for Black-Footed Ferret Mortality Following Prairie Dog Plague Announcement

The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service today confirmed sylvatic plague as the cause of prairie dog die-off across three South Dakota ecosystems. The
Image
Bison of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of Fort Peck_Montana_DOW
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo.

Defenders Applauds Yellowstone Bison Management Decision

On Thursday, June 6, 2024, Yellowstone National Park released the Final Environmental Impact Statement for a new management plan affecting the future of the North
Image
Swamp Lined with Trees at Okefenokee NWR
Washington, DC

Okefenokee Protection Alliance Named Advocate of the Year for Refuge Advocacy

After six years of guarding its namesake wetlands, the Okefenokee Protection Alliance has been named 2024’s Refuge Advocate of the Year by the National Wildlife
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