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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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Male Gray Wolf in Autumn Forest - kjekol - iStockphoto
Denver, CO

Defenders Responds to Fish and Wildlife Rule on Gray Wolf Reintroduction in Colorado

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today released its final 10(j) rule on Colorado gray wolf reintroduction which will take effect on December 8, 2023
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Animal collage in the shape of the United States_USFWS
Washington, DC

New Defenders Report Shows Locations in the United States Most Impacted by Biodiversity Crisis

Defenders of Wildlife today released a first-of-its-kind report that maps out where the five drivers of the global biodiversity crisis — habitat loss, pollution, climate change, invasive species and overexploitation — may have the greatest impact in the contiguous United States. This work is the first to analyze all five threats together at the national scale and the first to find that climate change, rather than habitat loss, endangers the greatest number of the nation’s most imperiled species.
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Headshot image of Jamie Clark
Washington, D.C.

Clark Announces Change at Defenders of Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife President and CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark today announced her decision to step down from her position in 2024. Clark has served Defenders for 20 years, including the last 13 as president and CEO.
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North Atlantic Right Whale

House Interior Appropriations Bill Slashes Funding for Imperiled Species, Eviscerates Endangered Species Act Protections

The U.S. House of Representatives just passed an atrocious Interior and Environment funding bill for FY24, which slashed funding for imperiled species, eviscerated longstanding protections
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By Evelyn Lichwa
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

Defenders of Wildlife Statement on Female Mexican Gray Wolf Reported Outside of Management Area

Defenders of Wildlife issued the following statement on a female Mexican gray wolf sighted crossing Interstate 40, outside of the Mexican Gray Wolf Experimental Population
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