Q: What does Defenders of Wildlife do?
A: Defenders' mission is to protect species and the habitats upon which they depend. In doing so, we focus on preserving the health of our nation's rich biodiversity.
Long known for our leadership on endangered species issues, Defenders of Wildlife is a solution-oriented organization dedicated to saving rare animals and plants, conserving habitat and building a broad constituency for protecting wildlife and wild places.
We develop and advocate innovative solutions which will encourage conservation of entire ecosystems and interconnected habitats while protecting animals that serve as indicator species for ecosystem health. Through this multi-pronged approach of education, advocacy, research and litigation, we work specifically to:
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Protect Native Animals and Plants: We develop and champion practical programs to save a wide variety of North American wildlife, including gray wolves, grizzly bears, sea otters and jaguars.
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Restore and Preserve Habitat: We promote progressive land-use strategies that safeguard key habitats such as wetlands, deserts, forests and grasslands from development and degradation.
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Advocate for Environmental Protections: We mobilize supporters and work with partners on the international, national, state and local levels to secure laws and policies that safeguard wildlife and their habitats.
Q: How long has Defenders been in existence?
A: Defenders of Wildlife was founded in 1947 and was originally called Defenders of Fur Bearers. Its primary mission was to preserve wild animals. Although our mission has broadened to include wildlife habitat and biodiversity, protecting wild animals remains a central part of our mission.
Q: Do you have any job openings?
A: Any open positions are posted on our web site. Job applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to the address listed in the job description.
Q: Are internships available?
A: Yes. Defenders offers paid internships. To apply, send a resume and cover letter explaining why you are interested and when you will be available. Please enclose a short writing sample.
Q: Are there volunteer opportunities available?
A: Currently there are no volunteer opportunities available in our office.
Q: Why don't you team up with other organizations that do the same or similar work, like World Wildlife Fund, and become one large organization?
A: We do work in coalitions with other national and local environment groups on pressing threats to wildlife and habitat, but we also remain laser focused on the core of our mission which is protecting and restoring imperiled species in North America.
Q: I would like to use a Defenders logo. How do I do this?
A: Please send an email to the attention of newsroom@defenders.org explaining how you want to use it. The logo is copyrighted and may not be used without express written permission.
Q: I haven't received my "free gift" (plush animal, backpack etc.) yet. When will I get it?
A: On average it takes 8-10 weeks for you to receive your free gift. If it's been more than 10 weeks and you still haven't received it, you may contact us at membership@defenders.org or at 1-800-385-9712.
Q: I renewed but I just got another renewal notice in the mail.
A: If you recently renewed and you received a renewal notice, your renewal donation and the renewal notice may have crossed in the mail. If you sent your renewal donation more than two months ago and you are still receiving renewal notices, please contact us at 1-800-385-9712 and we will be happy to check on your membership.
Q: How do I donate to Defenders of Wildlife?
A: You can securely join Defenders of Wildlife or renew your membership online. You can also donate over the phone by calling 1-800-385-9712. If you prefer, you can mail your donation (check or money order) to:
Defenders of Wildlife
National Headquarters
1130 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Q: Can I support Defenders with my donor advised fund (DAF), traditional IRA, or appreciated assets?
A: Yes, many donors choose their DAFs, traditional IRAs and appreciated assets (like stocks) to make a gift to Defenders because it can have a great impact on our mission, while maximizing their charitable impact.
Get started with a gift from your DAF here or visit the website of your DAF provider. For questions about giving from your DAF, please email DAF@defenders.org.
Learn more about making a gift directly from your IRA account here and get started with your Qualified Charitable Distribution.
To transfer appreciated assets, visit our page about donating stocks to help save wildlife to access all of the information you need to donate stocks and other securities.
Q: How do I set up a gift membership?
A: You can make a gift membership over the phone by calling 1-800-385-9712 or by mailing your donation (check or money order) to:
Defenders of Wildlife
National Headquarters
1130 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Please be sure to indicate that this is a gift and the name and address of the gift recipient.
Q: How do I make a memorial donation for someone or my pet?
A: You can make a memorial donation online or over the phone by calling 1-800-385-9712. If you prefer, you can send in a donation (check or money order) to:
Defenders of Wildlife
National Headquarters
1130 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Since so many of our supporters have pets, some choose to make memorial gifts in their pet's name. Please be sure to include the following information: your name and address, the name of the person or pet who has passed away, and where you would like an acknowledgment for the memorial gift to be sent (for example, an acknowledgment is usually sent to a family member).
Q: Are local chapters available to members of Defenders of Wildlife?
A: Defenders of Wildlife does not have any local chapters. We do have regional offices all over the United States as well as one in Mexico. Each office works on programs and issues that affect their specific region.
Q: I don't live in the U.S., can I still donate?
A: Yes, you can! You can donate online or mail your donation (check or money order in U.S. currency) to:
Defenders of Wildlife
National Headquarters
1130 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Q: How do I change my address?
A: It's easy! Please email membership@defenders.org or call Membership Services at 1-800-385-9712 and be sure to give us your name, your old address and your new address and we will update your membership record. Because of the long lead time for some of our postal mailings, it may be 45-60 days for the change to fully take effect. Email changes will take effect within a few days.
Q: How can I stop getting so much mail?
A: We send mailings to supporters to let them know of new initiatives and to keep them up to date on our progress on an array of programs. Feel free to contact Membership Services at membership@defenders.org and let us know what you want to receive/don't want to receive. We will honor your wishes.
If you have never donated to Defenders of Wildlife and are still getting mail from us, please email membership@defenders.org or call Membership Services at 1-800-385-9712.
Q: How can I stop mail coming to someone else who has passed away or who no longer lives at my address?
A: To stop receiving mail addressed to someone who has passed away or to a previous resident, notify Defenders at membership@defenders.org and write to:
Mail Preference Service
c/o the Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735
Q: Can I make automatic, recurring donations?
A: Yes! You can join our recurring giving program to become a Wildlife Guardian and pledge to give a regular donation to help protect wolves, big cats, polar bears, dolphins and other imperiled wildlife. You can make a gift by credit card or electronic funds transfer. Please call 877-682-9401 for more information.
Q: How long will my membership be valid?
A: Membership runs on a calendar year basis and runs from January to December.
Q: Will my information remain private?
A: Defenders of Wildlife will sometimes exchange or make its physical mailing list available for rental to other organizations from which we feel you may have interest in receiving material. If you'd like to be excluded from this, please contact our Membership Services department at 1-800-385-9712 or membership@defenders.org and we will ensure your address is not shared. We never share email addresses or phone numbers. View our Privacy Policy here.
Q: I ordered checks from Classic Checks, but haven't received them yet. What should I do?
A: If you placed your order through Check Gallery/Classic Checks, please call their customer service department toll-free 1-800-354-3540. If you placed your order through Message!Products, please call their customer service department toll-free 1-800-243-2565.
Q: What happened to the adopt an animal program?
A: The mission of our animal adoption program was always to inspire a love of wildlife and habitat conservation, and the products we offered were intended to create connections that pass on that love of wildlife to new advocates. Unfortunately, due to increased maintenance, shipping and supply costs, it no longer represented the best use of our valuable resources. Closing the Gift Center and ending our adopt an animal program allowed us to better allocate those resources to where they are needed most.
Q: What else can I do to help save wildlife?
A: To keep caring individuals like yourself informed of the latest wildlife and environmental news we've created our Impact Report, a monthly email newsletter showcasing the victories and challenges for wildlife. Over 250,000 wildlife supporters now receive this exclusive monthly e-newsletter and the periodic alerts we send when we need them to contact their legislators or federal officials. We'd like to include you as a member of the Defenders online community, so please sign up for our free, emailed Impact Report today.
You can also keep up with Defenders on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.
Visit our Action Center to take action, find an event near you, learn how to become an activist and more.
Q: How does Defenders use my donation?
A: Long known for our leadership on endangered species issues, Defenders of Wildlife is a solution-oriented organization dedicated to saving imperiled animals, conserving habitat and building a broad and diverse constituency for protecting wildlife and wild places.
We harness the skills and expertise of scientists, wildlife specialists, educators, activists, economists and attorneys to work in the halls of Congress, state legislatures, the courts, local communities, and more than a dozen field offices throughout North America.
We develop and advocate innovative solutions which will encourage conservation of entire ecosystems and interconnected habitats while protecting predators that serve as indicator species for ecosystem health. Through this multi-pronged approach of education, advocacy, research and litigation, we work specifically to:
Protect Native Animals and Plants: We develop and champion practical programs to save a wide variety of North American species, including gray wolves, grizzly bears, sea otters and jaguars.
Restore and Preserve Habitat: We promote progressive land-use strategies that safeguard key habitats such as wetlands, deserts, forests and grasslands from development and degradation.
Advocate for Environmental Legislation: We mobilize supporters and work with partners on the international, national, state and local levels to secure laws and policies that safeguard animals and their habitats.
Q: Is my credit card information safe when I give online?
A: Defenders of Wildlife goes to great lengths to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of any personal information you share with us over the Internet.
Our sites use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, the industry standard security technology, to safeguard your credit card and other financial information. Our donation pages display the Secure Site Seal at the top of the browser by the URL to assure you that our Web site is authentic and that all transactions are secured by SSL encryption. If you are making a donation, the credit card information that you provide is used only to process your donation and will not be used by us for any other purposes.
If you have any questions, please contact us at myprivacy@defenders.org.
Q: How will my personal information be used?
A: Defenders of Wildlife goes to great lengths to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of any personal information you share with us over the Internet. Defenders of Wildlife will never sell or rent your email address, phone number or credit card information to anyone. Read our privacy policy to learn about the ways in which we may use personal information that you choose to provide.
Q: Can I take action on your site if I am not a U.S. resident?
A: In order to make all our congressional communications as effective as possible, you must be a constituent in order to send a message to a member of Congress. Since non-residents don't have representation in the U.S. Congress, you are not able to take congressional actions. You can, however, take our actions that target the U.S. President, administration officials, corporate CEOs and others.
Please visit the Action Center to find actions to such targets.
Q: Does Defenders of Wildlife participate in online communities like Facebook or YouTube?
A: Yes. Defenders can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube. We also have a blog where you can learn about our work first hand.
Visit our Activist Hub to find out how to get involved in person and virtually.
Q: I saw something I thought was inappropriate on one of Defenders online community pages. What should I do?
A: Defenders of Wildlife supports the freedom of expression—including maintaining a safe online space for people with opposing views to express themselves. Accordingly, we do not tolerate profanity, vulgarity, or threats of violence in any way, shape or form.
You can help us maintain a respectful and safe space by reporting suspected violations to onlineabuse@defenders.org.
Q: I am a current member of Defenders of Wildlife, but I did not receive my Defenders magazine. How do I get a replacement copy?
A: January 2023 was our last print issue of Defenders magazine but that doesn't mean the content stopped! Experience more stories of wildlife and habitat we protect by joining our pack. Sign up to receive things like our monthly Impact Report, fun wildlife facts and urgent updates. Or, visit our blog and learn more about your favorite wildlife and wild places!
Q: How can I get copies of back issues of the Defenders magazine?
A: Back issues of Defenders magazine are available for $3 per magazine while supplies last. Please call 1-800-385-9712 or email membership@defenders.org to inquire about availability.
Q: What is Defenders Wildlife Impact Report (or eNews)?
A: Defenders' Impact Report (formerly eNews) is a free monthly e-newsletter that provides wildlife updates, showcases the impact we've had together, and ways you can help protect wildlife and the habitat it needs to survive. Subscribe to our Impact Report.
Q: I'm doing a report on (species). Can you send me information?
A: You can find fact sheets about many species on our website.
Q: Can I reproduce Defenders' educational and information materials and magazine articles?
A: All Defenders' fact sheets can be copied, provided that they are not changed and that Defenders' logo and address are preserved on the copies. The entire magazine is protected by copyright. For information on copying magazine articles contact our editorial office.
Q: Can I buy additional membership premiums?
A: Our membership premiums are not for sale. To make an additional donation please contact Membership Services at 800-385-9712.
Q: How can I order more address labels?
A: The free labels that you received in the mail cannot be purchased. However, Defenders does make other versions of our address labels for purchase through Classic Checks. You may contact them by calling 1-800-354-3588.
Q: Do other companies offer Defenders of Wildlife products for purchase?
A: Yes! Many of our Cause Related partners and their products can be found at our Online Marketplace.
Q: I sent in a check for merchandise, but haven't received it yet. What should I do?
A: Please contact us toll-free at 1-800-385-9712.
Q: What can I do to help wildlife in my state?
A: The best thing you can do to help wildlife is to get involved in local projects or issues and to contact your elected officials. To find out who your Representative is, call (202) 224-3121. To find out who your State Representative and State Senator is, call (518) 474-2121. You can also become a Defenders' activist and member, write letters to the editor of your local paper, and support wildlife conservation organizations. Visit our Action Center.
Q: How do I become an activist?
A: Your voice is a critical component of achieving our goals at Defenders. You can become an activist by signing up for our activist network. When you sign up you will receive information on how you can get involved to protect wildlife and conserve habitat including:
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Information on legislation so you can contact your elected officials
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Information on events and activities in your area
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Information on public comment periods for wildlife decisions
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And much, much more
Q: What is Defenders doing about animal abuse? Who can I call?
A: Although Defenders is concerned about the welfare of all animals, our mission is to protect endangered and threatened species and other native wildlife and the habitat upon which they depend.
There are a number of groups solely concerned with animal welfare/abuse issues. You can contact:
- The Humane Society of the United States 202-452-1100
- American Humane Association 303-792-9900
- ASPCA 212-876-7700
Q: I have found a wild animal. What should I do with it?
A: Contact your local wildlife rehabilitator, humane society, or ASPCA. One of these should be able to help. Wildlife rehabilitators should be contacted especially if the animal/bird has been injured. Wildlife rehabilitators can often be found under "wildlife" or "sanctuaries," or through your local humane association.
Q: We are sponsoring a booth (for Earth Day or other event) and would like information about Defenders.
A: Contact us for materials at membership@defenders.org.
Q: Is [insert animal name] an endangered species?
A: Visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's website for more information on endangered species.
Q: How do you feel about wolf hybrids?
A: Defenders does not have a specific policy statement regarding wolf hybrids. We do discourage people from keeping hybrids as pets, especially if small children will be around. All dogs are unpredictable; this is especially true of some hybrids. Caution and care are to be taken when raising/handling wolf hybrids.
Q: Can I get a copy of your financial statement/annual report?
A: Our latest annual report and financial information are available on our web site. Defenders also makes reports to state agencies that monitor non-profit activities. Our audit is conducted annually by the respected firm of Lane and Company.
Q: What is Defenders official name and/or tax ID number?
A: Defenders of Wildlife, a "not-for-profit" organization incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia, and having its principal office in Washington, DC. Our tax ID # is 53-0183181.
Q: What is your tax status and what does it mean?
A: Defenders of Wildlife is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization. This means that Defenders meets the IRS requirements for tax exemption, and qualifies to be a recipient of tax-deductible contributions.
Q: Where does Defenders get most of its money (or contributions)?
A: Most of Defenders' income comes from membership support and legacy gifts from our caring supporters. The rest is received in the form of foundation grants, memorial gifts and large individual gifts.
Q: Would Defenders be interested in purchasing my property? Or in managing my property as a refuge if I gave it to you?
A: Sorry, no. The Nature Conservancy accepts certain real estate donations and both the Conservancy and the Wildlife Land Trust have programs that will manage property as refuges. The Conservancy's number is 1-800-628-6860. The Trust's number is 1-800-729-7283. The Nature Conservancy may be interested in purchasing the property if it has endangered species and is essential habitat.
Q: How do I include Defenders in my will?
A: Many supporters wish to leave a legacy for wildlife for future generations. Feel free to contact our Director of Gift Planning on our toll-free legacy line at 1-800-915-6789. The legacy staff will send you the appropriate information.
Q: Do you accept matching gifts from my employer?
A: Yes and it's very easy to do. Find out if your employer matches gifts to Defenders here and then contact your personnel department for the correct form and information. Complete your section and mail the form to us and we'll do the rest. More and more of our supporters are using this easy way to double, even triple, their contributions.
Q: Do you participate in EarthShare?
A: Yes. EarthShare is the workplace giving vehicle for environmental organizations. Our EarthShare identification number is 0904. Learn more on our Workplace Giving page.
Q: Do you participate in CFC?
A: Yes, we do participate in the CFC. Our CFC number is #10624. Learn more on our Workplace Giving page.
Q: What is CFC?
A: The Combined Federal Campaign is the workplace giving campaign for federal employees. Donations are automatically deducted from an employee's paycheck each pay period and sent to Defenders. Find out how you can take part on our Workplace Giving page.
Q: What if I don't see my question answered?
A: More questions? Please call Member Services at 1-800-385-9712 or email us at membership@defenders.org.
