eNews: Wolves, whales and wildlife refuges

November 2017 Trouble reading this email? View it in your browser | Subscribe

ORCAS IN PERIL Orcas are majestic animals. They’re highly intelligent and devoted to their families. They hunt together and share food. They capture our imaginations. But the Southern Resident orcas of the Pacific Northwest are in trouble. Human-caused environmental changes have left them struggling to find food, exposed to pollution and fighting for survival. Ricardo, speak out now to protect Southern Resident orcas >> A PATH FORWARD FOR WOLVES Wolves once roamed across North America, but decades of unchecked killing left them eradicated from all but a few areas in the Lower 48. Restoring wolves isn’t simple – we must change people’s perceptions of these iconic predators. Learn more >> RIGHT WHALES IN JEOPARDY This has been a terrible year for the North Atlantic right whale – arguably the worst year since commercial whaling was banned in 1937! But Defenders is doing everything in our power to save this rare species.  Learn more >> WILDLIFE SHOULD WIN ON REFUGES In 1903, President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt established Pelican Island as our nation’s first wildlife refuge, but the Refuge System we know today emerged gradually. The 1997 Refuge Improvement Act put wildlife first on our national wildlife refuges. Learn more >> BATS ARE BEAUTIFUL Although we usually stereotype bats as scary or unpleasant creatures, they’re actually amazing animals that are vital to their ecosystems. October was Bat Appreciation Month, so to celebrate, we shined a light on our batty friends (figuratively, of course)!  Learn more >> Join Defenders of Wildlife Online: SUPPORT OUR WORK MONTHLY GIFT GIVING Becoming a monthly donor places you among our most committed and valued supporters. Your gift will help us fight around the clock to counter the growing threats to wildlife. Become a Wildlife Guardian >> ADOPT AN ANIMAL Wildlife adoptions support Defenders' work to protect and restore the wildlife and wild places you care about. Bring home something wild – for yourself, or as a gift!  Adopt an Animal >>

Defenders of Wildlife leads the pack when it comes to protecting wild animals and plants in their natural communities

Defenders of Wildlife | 1130 17th St NW, Washington, DC 20036 | defenders.org Photo credits: Orca (c) Katie Jones | Gray Wolf (c) Taylor McDowell | Right Whale (c) NOAA Florida Fish & Wildlife | Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (c) Defenders of Wildlife | Bat (c) Reeder Kathleen | Owl (c) Raphael Buchwald | Polar Bears (c) Barb DeHart | Sea Turtle (c) Grace Chen Defenders of Wildlife is a national, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities. © Copyright 2017 Defenders of Wildlife