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Success Stories
We've been protecting wildlife for more than 60 years, and we've got plenty of success stories to prove it. Below are some of our most recent successes, click through to our archive to see many more.
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Polar Bears Win in Climate Change-Related Court RulingOn October 17, 2011, a federal judge struck down a Bush administration rule that exempted greenhouse gas emissions from regulation under provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
California Sea Otter Fund Extended for Five More Years Sea otters in California received some great news in September 2011 as Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation re-establishing the California Sea Otter Fund, the main source of funding for sea otter research and conservation efforts in the Golden State.
Oregon Passes Landmark Wolf Coexistence BillOn June 24, 2011 the Oregon Senate unanimously approved a bill that establishes a county-based livestock compensation and wolf coexistence program to reduce conflicts between livestock and wolves.
Extinction Rider Defeated with Strong Bipartisan SupportOn July 27, 2011, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 224-202 to strip a provision from the Interior funding bill that would have prevented any new species from being added to the endangered species list.
Mapping Tool Brings Industry and Conservation Groups Together to Help the EnvironmentIn New Jersey, the Wildlife Habitat Council uses the Conservation Registry to find successful osprey habitat enhancement projects to help a corporate partner maximize their conservation investments.
Wild Birds Gain Protections from Poisoning by Deadly PesticideIn May 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a case challenging a 2009 decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which mandated that as of December 31, 2009 no domestically grown food crop could be grown with carbofuran, a highly toxic chemical that has killed millions of wild birds.
Conservation Registry Provides Valuable Insight for Project Planning and TrackingThe Conservation Registry was developed by Defenders of Wildlife and partners to provide a simple, free web-based database and mapping system to visualize on-the-ground conservation and wildlife investments.
Arctic Wildlife Gains Protections from Big OilOn July 21, 2010, a federal judge suspended oil and gas drilling activities associated with Chukchi Sea Lease Sale 193 because the government did not undertake a proper analysis of the potential consequences of drilling in the ecologically sensitive area.
A CLEAR Win for WildlifeWhen the U.S House of Representatives passed the CLEAR Act on July 30, 2010, the victory represented years of dedicated efforts by Defenders of Wildlife’s science, policy and government relations experts.
Win for Colorado HabitatsIn July 2010, in a 5-0 vote, the Colorado State Parks Board approved sweeping changes to the Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Grant Program that will give habitat restoration and law enforcement proposals the opportunity to receive a portion of the funds collected from OHV registration fees.
Historic Victory for Northern Rockies WolvesOn August 5, 2010, a federal judge overturned a decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act, paving the way for these critical predators to rebuild their numbers to ecologically sustainable levels.
Prairie dogs moved to safer ground at Thunder BasinDefenders helps in a collaborative effort to relocate hundreds of prairie dogs and save them from poisoning at Thunder Basin National Grassland
Ten Years on the RoadDefenders' Habitat and Highways program works to reduce the negative impacts of roads and highways on wildlife and supports efforts to keep new roads and development out of wildlife habitat. As we mark our tenth year of the Habitat and Highways program, we celebrate our many victories.
Defenders Helps Pass Colorado BillMore than 3,500 activists help make Colorado's wildlife and citizens are safer on our roads.
Defenders Rallies Opposition to Stop Aerial Wolf Gunner's AppointmentIn spring 2010, dedicated Defenders activists in Alaska helped secure a key victory in this ongoing fight, making personal phone calls, writing letters and testifying at hearings in a successful campaign to block the appointment of a licensed aerial wolf killer to the state board that writes the rules around Alaska's controversial aerial wolf killing programs.
Defenders' Legal VictoriesDefenders has played a major role in seeing that wildlife gets the attention it deserves. Our legal team has often led the way in landmark suits and other legal actions that have helped create and sustain wildlife and endangered species law.
Promise for PanthersThe Florida panther has secured new hope for safe passage across a dangerous highway that runs through Big Cypress National Preserve.
Jaguar: The Comeback of a Great CatJaguars may finally have some freedom to roam in the American Southwest now that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has agreed to create a recovery plan for the endangered big cats.
Progress for Prairie DogsThanks to the grassroots efforts of tens of thousands of Defenders activists and advocacy from our legal experts, prairie dogs and other wildlife on the Great Plains have scored some key wins.
Major Milestone for Mexican Wolves!Under mounting legal pressure from Defenders of Wildlife and our allies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) agreed in November 2009 to end a "three strikes and you're out" policy that has frustrated efforts to rescue endangered Mexican gray wolves from extinction in the wild.
Victory for Jaguars and Other Border WildlifeMore than 7,500 key wildlife activists heeded a call to action and helped eliminate an amendment to build a wall along the southern U.S. border that would have further threatened the jaguar and other imperiled wildlife.
Victory for Sea Otters in the HouseDefenders activists sent more than 63,000 messages to Congress to pass the Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act in the House of Representatives.
ESA Victory!More than 37,000 dedicated Defenders activists called on the Obama administration to reverse changes that would have gutted enforcement of the Endangered Species Act.
