Wildlife Weekly Wrap-Up: 04/28/17

Your weekly roundup of wildlife news from across the country

WildSights:

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Wild stories from the Week:

It was World Penguin Day on Monday! Check out some cool facts about these flightless birds that are excellent swimmers: http://dfnd.us/QFdtJV

In 70 years, we’ve come so far! Take a look at how some of our most iconic species are faring now compared to when we first began our work back in the 1940’s: http://dfnd.us/2qbOi6N

An executive order directs Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to “review” national monuments designated since 1996. The review provides ample cover for anti-conservation forces in the administration and Congress to drastically weaken or even eliminate entire national monuments: http://dfnd.us/2oAmSv0

What does the new executive order mean for drilling in the Arctic? The battle to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge continues: http://dfnd.us/2pYRe6O

Our Defenders in Action

Nationwide:

On April 22^nd, Earth Day, Defenders of Wildlife staff, volunteers and supporters took part in the March for Science across the nation. Take a look at some photos from these marches!

In California:

Kim Delfino, our California Program Director, spoke at an event alongside Senator Ricado Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-Sand Diego) to support their legislation (SB 30 and AB 947) aimed at halting construction of the administration’s proposed Border Wall in California.

In Oregon:

Last week, our Northwest Representative in Oregon, Quinn Read, spoke at the Rally for Water and Wildlife on the steps of the state capitol in Salem. The event highlighted issues that typically receive less attention in the legislature — including non-game wildlife conservation and the impact of logging policy and aerial herbicide spraying on water quality and wildlife habitat. Despite the rain, attendees enthusiastically marched around the capitol and came away excited to keep fighting for better wildlife policy in Oregon.

In Colorado:

Defenders, alongside other conservation groups and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS), won an appeal in the U.S. 10^th Circuit Court of Appeals of a lower court’s injunction blocking further releases of highly endangered Mexican gray wolves into the wild within New Mexico. With this win, the FWS is legally cleared to resume wolf releases within the state. Limited genetic diversity in the wild can result in smaller litters and lower pup survival – a recipe for extinction. Releases of captive wolves are critical to increase lobo genetic diversity in the wild.