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Violet-green Swallow
ANN ARBOR, MI

Study Led by Defenders of Wildlife Scientist Shows Noise Pollution Impacts on Migratory Birds

“The major takeaway from this study is that anthropogenic noise affects many aspects of bird behavior, with some responses more directly tied to fitness,” said Natalie Madden, lead author of the new study.
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Louisiana Black Bear
Raleigh, N.C.

Defenders Receives Advocacy Organization of the Year Award

Defenders of Wildlife joined its partners in the Safe Passage coalition today to accept the Advocacy Organization of the Year Award at the 2026 Sweethearts
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Two North Atlantic Right Whales
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Raises Alarm Over Administration’s Proposal to Amend Rule Protecting North Atlantic Right Whales From Deadly Vessel Strikes

Defenders of Wildlife is devastated to learn that a three-year-old female North Atlantic right whale was found dead off Virginia on February 10, 2026. This

Press Releases

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Chilkoot State Park - Alaska - Harvey Hergett-USFS.jpg

National Park Service Identifies ‘Preferred Alternative’ to Restore Grizzly Bears to the North Cascades

The Friends of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear coalition celebrates today as federal agencies announced their preference to bring grizzly bears back to the North
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2023.01.05- Right Whale Swimming with Calf-FWC-CC BY NC ND 2.0
Washington, DC

Conservation Groups Continue Bid to Lift Stay in Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule Case

Conservation groups returned to federal district court Friday to further efforts to obtain a deadline for Biden administration action on a 2022 proposed expanded vessel
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Greater sage grouse, Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, Wyoming
Washington, DC

Administration’s Proposed Greater Sage-Grouse Proposal Falls Short, Must be Stronger to Reverse Declines

The Biden Administration today released a draft amendment to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land use plans covering much of the land intended to protect the greater sage-grouse, an imperiled species that has experienced an 80% population decline since 1965 and faces serious challenges from prolonged habitat loss and climate change. The proposed amendment, which updates BLM’s 2015 greater sage-grouse conservation strategy, affects 69 million acres across 10 states, almost half of the greater sage-grouse’s remaining habitat.
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Ocelot Mascots - Ocelot Festival 2023 - Texas - DOW.jpg
BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS

Ocelot Conservation Day Returns to Brownsville

Ocelot Conservation Festival, hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Friends of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, and Defenders of Wildlife, returns
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U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Assistant Secretary of the Interior Shannon Estenoz are joined by other Department of the Interior staff on Monday to add a plank commemorating the designation of the Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area at the boardwalk of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge in Vero Beach, Florida.
Vero Beach, Fla.

New Refuge System Designation Expands Florida Wildlife Protections

Defenders of Wildlife joined today with conservation groups and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to celebrate the official designation of the Everglades to Gulf
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
lsheehan@defenders.org
(202) 772-3244
Communications Director
mdewane@defenders.org
(202) 772-0217
Communications Specialist
jcovey@defenders.org
Former Communications Specialist
Communications Specialist
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268