Defenders of Wildlife Devoted to Saving Animals
One of the USA's Most Respected Wildlife Charities Helping Wolves
Sep 24, 2009
Defenders of Wildlife has been protecting animals in North America and around the world for over sixty years. Tthis article provides an overview of their history and work.
History of Defenders of Wildlife
In 1947 the organisation started life as the Defenders of Furbearers, which campaigned against steel-jawed leghold traps and lethal poisons.
There was only one full-time employee at the time, and that has now grown to 150.
Membership has also grown dramatically: from 1500 to 500,000 nationwide.
Defenders of Wildlife Campaigns
Defenders of Wildlife campaigns domestically and internationally, and tries to:
- reintroduce native animals to their natural habitats
- protect endangered animals through legislation
- maintain protected status for animals already listed
- preserve habitats used by animals
Examples of Successful Campaigns
Defenders of Wildlife has been involved in several successful campaigns, and examples of these are:
Leading the campaign to reintroduce wolves into Yellowstone Park, with a successful program leading to a healthy population of wolves once again running through a beautiful location.
Getting bald eagles listed as endangered has helped the recoverery of the iconic bird. As well as providing individual eagles with a natural life, this also provides a wonderful spectacle for both national and international visitors.
Preserving endangered species status for Florida's manatees.
Providing a habitat for the last group of ocelots in the Rio Grande Valley.
International Wildlife Campaigns
Defenders of Wildlife now has offices in Canada and Mexico, and works on international campaigns as well as domestic.
It successfully campaigned to have the Mexican government ban shark finning in its waters, which is important to preserve dwindling shark numbers, and also helped to create dolphin-friendly tuna through its campaigning against long-line drift nets.
Award-Winning Charity
Defenders of Wildlife has also won several recent awards, and they include:
- Reader's Digest Best Wildlife Charity
- Being one of Worth magazine's top 100 charities
- Natural Resources Council of America's Most Effective Action on Federal Policy
North Rockies Campaign to Preserve Endangered Status for Wolves
Having helped reintroduce wolves to the North Rockies region Defenders of Wildlife is vigourously campaigning for them to remain on the endangered list in 2009.
The Bush administration delisted the wolves before their election defeat, and it has not been overturned by the Democrats.
This has meant that the states of Idaho and Montana have sanctioned wolf hunts, but Defenders of Wildlife has won an early court victory by having the basis for the Bush legislation described by a judge as unscientific.
Hope for the North Rockies Wolves
So with Defenders of Wildlife fighting their case there is still hope for the wolves of Idaho and Montana, and Defenders is also working with ranchers on preventative measures to keep wolves away from stock, as well as educating the public about the benefits of preserving their native species.
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