Dead Sea Turtles in the Gulf
Last year's devastating Deepwater Horizon disaster was a serious blow for sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico. But the catastrophe for the sea turtles hasn’t ended yet.
Already this year, more than 340 dead sea turtles have washed ashore on the Gulf Coast -- more than three times the annual average -- and the death toll is likely to be much higher. Signs point to shrimp fishing as a likely cause for the spike in deaths -- perhaps combined with the lingering effects of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Yet the government has not taken action to save these animals struggling to survive. Defenders and our conservation partners have launched a lifesaving lawsuit to protect sea turtles, but federal officials need to hear from you.
Can't Live Without 'Em!
The landmark Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects wildlife that is struggling to survive -- from charismatic bears to often-overlooked freshwater mussels.
Can't Live Without 'Em, a new weekly series on Defenders Blog, highlights both the familiar and the frequently forgotten wildlife that the ESA safeguards -- and explains why they're worth protecting.
Read the Can't Live Without 'Em series on the Defenders Blog. This week: Indiana bats
Court Rules Against Poison
The Supreme Court rejected the pesticide industry’s request for a hearing on an EPA decision regarding domestic food tolerances of carbofuran -- a deadly poison that Defenders has fought to keep off U.S. shelves and to reduce its use abroad. Carbofuran has killed millions of birds and other wildlife in the U.S. and remains a threat to struggling African lions.
Saving Sharks
California Defenders supporters sent nearly 18,000 emails to their Assembly members, helping to pass a vital bill to ban the importation or sale of shark fins in the Golden State. The state Senate must approve the bill before it heads to the governor's desk.
Saving Sharks
California Defenders supporters sent nearly 18,000 emails to their Assembly members, helping to pass a vital bill to ban the importation or sale of shark fins in the Golden State. The state Senate must approve the bill before it heads to the governor's desk.
Remembering Nina Leopold Bradley
Dr. Nina Leopold Bradley carried on the conservation legacy of her father, the legendary Aldo Leopold. She used her voice to champion ecological values and the conservation of natural resources. Through her work, she helped us understand that as we work to protect the environment, we are also protecting ourselves.
"She truly carried on her father's mission and has been a personal inspiration to me throughout my career," says Jamie Rappaport Clark, Executive Vice President of Defenders of Wildlife. "Thanks to her vast research and rich legacy, her own 'green fire' will continue to burn."
Dr. Bradley died peacefully at her home in Wisconsin at the age of 93.
June 10, 2011