Defend
Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife, a national, non-partisan organization that for more than 75 years has been the leading voice for the conservation of imperiled wildlife and habitat across North America.

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We are closer than you think

From the beginning, America was shaped by the wild. Together, we must fight to protect the animals and lands we all love, while we still can.

photographing the sunset over the Arctic Ocean

Shaped by the Wild Photo Contest

Celebrate America's diverse natural heritage by sharing photos of the wildlife and wild places you love.

Who We Are

For over 75 years, Defenders of Wildlife is the premier U.S.-based national conservation organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of imperiled species and their habitats in North America.

What We Do

Just as our name says – we defend wildlife. Our team of policy, legal, science and advocacy experts work at every level to transform policies and craft solutions for wildlife.

Why It Matters

Up to a million species are facing extinction - some within the next decade - unless we take immediate action to save them. We envision a future where diverse wildlife populations are secure and thriving.

Our Impact

In the Courts

We have been at the forefront of wildlife and natural resource litigation and policy since the organization's inception in 1947.

On the Hill

We engage actively on Capitol Hill to defend wildlife and wild places from legislative attacks and secure new wildlife conservation initiatives.

Defenders of Wildlife staff releasing black-footed ferret into its habitat

DOW

On the Ground

We work on the ground at the state, tribal and local level developing practical, innovative programs that protect and restore imperiled species and their habitats.

Steven Amstrup USGS

Ray Hennessey/Unsplash

Bison at sunrise in Yellowstone National Park

Wildlife Needs You

Protect Arctic animals

Save wildlife from extinction

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Liz Julian/USFWS

Make a Difference

for Wildlife.

FEATURED VICTORY: With the support of donor dollars, we helped save The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge – home to over 1,000 species, and a jewel of the Refuge System – from being destroyed by massive mining operations.

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