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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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Whooping Crane
Washington, DC

Congress Urged to Spend $841 Million to Fully Fund Endangered Species Protection

More than 120 conservation groups, including Defenders of Wildlife, urged Congress to significantly increase the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s budget for endangered species conservation from $331 million to $841 million.
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Kenai Brown Bear in the Water
Anchorage, AK

U.S. Supreme Court Chooses Not to Hear Kenai Bear-baiting Case

The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately chose not to hear a challenge to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) authority to manage wildlife on national wildlife refuge land. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit had upheld a 2016 FWS regulation that, among other things, prohibits brown bear baiting on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.
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Pygmy rabbit
Salt Lake City, UT

Petition Seeks to Protect Pygmy Rabbit Under Endangered Species Act

Conservation organizations, including Defenders of Wildlife, submitted a petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today requesting protection of the pygmy rabbit under the Endangered Species ActConservation organizations, including Defenders of Wildlife, submitted a petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today requesting protection of the pygmy rabbit under the Endangered Species Act.
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Bison in field
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Applauds New DOI Bison Restoration Framework

Defenders of Wildlife Senior Representative for Rockies and Plains Chamois Andersen issued a statement in response to an announcement by the Interior Department regarding planned action to restore bison populations as part of a new restoration and resilience framework.
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A gray wolf against a dark background with the words Act Against Extinction and 50 Years of the ESA
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife to Honor 50 Years of U.S. Endangered Species Act Throughout 2023

The 50th anniversary of the passage of the Endangered Species Act marks a monumental American victory in defending wildlife against extinction. This anniversary, on December 28, 2023, is an opportunity to highlight this important wildlife law. Throughout 2023, Defenders of Wildlife will mark the occasion with events, stories and more.
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