Defenders of Wildlife
Encyclopedia
Defenders of Wildlife is a United States
-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
founded in 1947, "dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants
in their natural communities." The organization is active in political interventions and lobbying aimed at protection of wildlife
, and fundraising used for conservation
efforts, and to battle cruelty against all wildlife." The organisations efforts extend into such areas as wildlife conservation, habitat conservation
, off-shore drilling, climate change, renewable energy, international conservation, and policy and lesiglation in United States.
The organization was originally called "Defenders of Fur Bearers" and its mission was focused on North America
n mammals. Today, the organization's mission is broader and includes preservation and conservation
actions concerning both animals and plants, and wild life habitat protection. The organisation advocates the Endangered Species Act
of 1973 through lobbying and use of the U.S. legal system in order to protect the remaining Endangered species
. The organization houses offices in the United States
, Canada
and Mexico
, and the headquarter for the Defenders of Wild Life is based in Washington, D.C.
, U.S.
Defenders of Wildlife focuses its programs on the alarmingly accelerating rate of extinction
of species
and the associated loss of biological diversity and habitat
alteration and destruction. Defenders of Wildlife also advocates new approaches to wildlife conservation
that will help keep species from becoming endangered. Its programs encourage protection of entire ecosystem
s and their interconnected habitats while protecting predators
(mainly wolves) that serve as indicator species
for the ecosystem's health. Its sister organization, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, lobbies and works to influence legislative action directly.
, black bear
, jaguar
and Florida panther
conservation.
, focused on what the group termed the "extreme anti-conservation policies" of the Alaska
n governor Sarah Palin
, in particular her support of the aerial hunting of the wolves. In response, governor Palin put out a statement calling Defenders of Wildlife an "extreme fringe group" and defending her "predator control program." She attacked the non-profit group for allegedly "twisting the truth in an effort to raise funds from innocent and hard-pressed Americans."
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
founded in 1947, "dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants
Native plant
Native plant is a term to describe plants endemic or naturalized to a given area in geologic time.This includes plants that have developed, occur naturally, or existed for many years in an area...
in their natural communities." The organization is active in political interventions and lobbying aimed at protection of wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
, and fundraising used for conservation
Conservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
efforts, and to battle cruelty against all wildlife." The organisations efforts extend into such areas as wildlife conservation, habitat conservation
Habitat conservation
Habitat conservation is a land management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore, habitat areas for wild plants and animals, especially conservation reliant species, and prevent their extinction, fragmentation or reduction in range...
, off-shore drilling, climate change, renewable energy, international conservation, and policy and lesiglation in United States.
The organization was originally called "Defenders of Fur Bearers" and its mission was focused on North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n mammals. Today, the organization's mission is broader and includes preservation and conservation
Conservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
actions concerning both animals and plants, and wild life habitat protection. The organisation advocates the Endangered Species Act
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
of 1973 through lobbying and use of the U.S. legal system in order to protect the remaining Endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. The organization houses offices in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and the headquarter for the Defenders of Wild Life is based in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, U.S.
Defenders of Wildlife focuses its programs on the alarmingly accelerating rate of extinction
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
of species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and the associated loss of biological diversity and habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
alteration and destruction. Defenders of Wildlife also advocates new approaches to wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
that will help keep species from becoming endangered. Its programs encourage protection of entire ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s and their interconnected habitats while protecting predators
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
(mainly wolves) that serve as indicator species
Indicator species
An indicator species is any biological species that defines a trait or characteristic of the environment. For example, a species may delineate an ecoregion or indicate an environmental condition such as a disease outbreak, pollution, species competition or climate change...
for the ecosystem's health. Its sister organization, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, lobbies and works to influence legislative action directly.
Predator conservation
Much of Defenders' work involves the protection of North American carnivores and predators, primarily wolves and grizzly bears but also including lynxLynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
, black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
and Florida panther
Florida Panther
The Florida panther is an endangered subspecies of cougar that lives in forests and swamps of southern Florida in the United States. Its current taxonomic status is unresolved, but recent genetic research alone does not alter the legal conservation status...
conservation.
Palin controversy
In 2009, Defenders of Wildlife announced a new media campaign named "Eye on Palin." The campaign, starring actress Ashley JuddAshley Judd
Ashley Judd is an American television and film actress, who has played lead roles in films including Ruby in Paradise, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Where the Heart Is and High Crimes...
, focused on what the group termed the "extreme anti-conservation policies" of the Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n governor Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, in particular her support of the aerial hunting of the wolves. In response, governor Palin put out a statement calling Defenders of Wildlife an "extreme fringe group" and defending her "predator control program." She attacked the non-profit group for allegedly "twisting the truth in an effort to raise funds from innocent and hard-pressed Americans."
Awards
Defenders was named "America's Best Wildlife Charity" in 2005 by the Reader's DigestReader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
.
External links
- Defenders.org
- DefendersActionFund.org
- SaveWolves.org
- World Wildlife Federation (WWF)
- SaveArcticRefuge.org
- Defenders Action Center
- KidsPlanet.org
- ExxposeExxon Defenders of Wildlife is a founding member of this environmental group organized to call attention to the activities of ExxonMobilExxonMobilExxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
which are considered environmentally harmful.