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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Memo Underscores Trump Administration’s All-Fronts War on Wildlife
Brian Nesvik, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, issued a memorandum explaining to FWS staff that the Endangered Species Act’s prohibition on unauthorized “take” applies only to affirmative acts intentionally and purposefully directed at a particular animal. This follows the Trump administration’s rescission of the regulatory definitions of “harm” under the ESA, which took effect this week.
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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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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.
Press Releases
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Defenders of Wildlife Applauds BLM’s Conservation and Land Health Rule that Modernizes Land Management
In a win for wildlife, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today published a new rule designed to correct a long-standing imbalance that had subordinated conservation to oil and gas development and other extractive activities to the detriment of wildlife and natural places. Despite their importance for conserving biodiversity in the United States and globally, only 14% of BLM lands receive adequate protections and most are open to extractive uses.
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Congress Urged to Spend $857 Million to Fully Fund Endangered Species Protection
More than 115 conservation groups urged Congress today to significantly increase the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s budget for endangered species conservation from $329 million
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Ocelot Killed by Car 50 Miles from Known Habitat Could Modify Range
Based on DNA results from a male ocelot found dead three years ago in Hidalgo County the Friends of Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge and
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Defenders Statement Opposing “America’s Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Act” Set for Markup
Defenders of Wildlife staunchly opposes today’s House Natural Resources Committee markup of “America’s Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Act” sponsored by chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR). Rep
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Defenders Responds to Reports of Torture of Gray Wolf by Wyoming Man
Defenders of Wildlife recently learned of a horrific incident regarding the torture of a juvenile gray wolf by a Wyoming man. Michael Saul, Rockies and
jcovey@defenders.org
