Defenders Presses Forward in Lawsuit Against ESA 4(d) Rescission

Defenders of Wildlife today filed an amended complaint challenging the Trump administration's rescission of the Endangered Species Act's blanket 4(d) rule with co-plaintiffs, the Center for Biological Diversity. This provision previously allowed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to extend comprehensive statutory protections against unauthorized take to threatened wildlife by default, ensuring that such species do not decline further into endangered status.

Ryan Shannon, senior attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, shared the following statement:

"The Trump administration continues to strip protections from threatened species at the time they need it most. The blanket 4(d) rule has protected threatened species for decades, and its repeal will only lead to more delay and more work for the already strained Fish and Wildlife Service, which has lost a third of its staff to DOGE cuts and brain drain. It will also, almost assuredly, lead to weaker protections for species like the Florida manatee and wolverine - both of which are awaiting protection. While it's tempting to think that they do not need as stringent of protections as endangered species, the truth is that acting before it is too late is essential to putting these species on the path to recovery before they slide closer towards extinction."

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For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America's wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.

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