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Red wolf
Center for     Biological     Diversity   

Trump Budget: A Death Sentence for Elephants, Wolves, More

If you ever doubted President Trump's war on wildlife, look no further than the proposed budget he released last week. A new Center for Biological Diversity analysis of the proposal identifies the top 10 species that would be likely driven extinct by his plans, including red wolves, whooping cranes and African elephants.

Among other harms, the budget proposal would slash funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by $300 million — almost 20 percent — and for the Multinational Species Conservation Fund by a staggering 45 percent. The proposal completely abolishes state endangered species recovery funding.

"Trump is ignoring hundreds of species in desperate need," said the Center's Stephanie Kurose. "It's despicable."

Learn about the top 10 species affected and read more in The Huffington Post.

Protest against offshore fracking

What Does the Offshore Resistance Look Like? Check It Out.

We've been blown away by the fierce resistance that's grown around Trump's plan to dramatically ramp up offshore drilling in the Arctic, the Gulf of Mexico, and off the West and East coasts.

Thousands of people already rallied in California earlier this month, but there's still lots of work to be done. Upcoming hearings and protests include one on Friday in Washington, D.C., and another in Raleigh, N.C., on Monday.

Check out the full list of hearings and protests and sign up to get involved. Also check out this piece in Medium that pulls together amazing photos from the offshore resistance movement in California.

Don't Let Mining Poison the Boundary Waters

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is one of America's greatest natural treasures. Big skies, unparalleled canoeing opportunities and beautiful wildlife abound. But this whole area is at risk, now that a company called Twin Metals wants to build a massive sulfide copper-nickel mine just upstream.

Sign our petition demanding that the U.S. Forest Service prepare a thorough, science-based environmental review of the proposal and ban all mining near the Boundary Waters.

Dow Chemicals facility

Suit Filed to Stop Trump's Suppression of Pesticides' Danger

Under the Obama administration, the Fish and Wildlife Service committed to releasing crucial studies by last May analyzing the widespread harm that three major pesticides pose to endangered species. But soon after Dow Chemical donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration, the megacorporation asked federal agencies not to finalize the legally required analyses, which are absolutely necessary to save animals from these pesticides — called malathion, chlorpyrifos and diazinon.

The Environmental Protection Agency's analysis of the three toxics was released in 2016. It found that 97 percent of all 1,800-plus animals and plants protected under the Endangered Species Act are likely to be harmed by malathion and chlorpyrifos, with 78 percent likely hurt by diazinon.

To save the species, the Center has sued the Trump administration for illegally withholding these crucial public records.

Read more in our press release and learn about our 55 other suits against Trump.

In The Revelator: 2018 Border Security Expo Exposed

Border detention center

At this year's big border-security conference in Texas, execs from weapons, surveillance and other security-related industries were delighted with the Trump administration's border hype as a potential money bonanza. But conspicuously absent was talk of — or planning for — Trump's massive proposed border wall.

Find out why in this week's Revelator border expo feature.

Vaquita procession

In Mexico City, a Procession for the Vaquita

Hundreds of people gathered in Mexico City over the weekend as part of a silent procession to raise awareness about the critically endangered vaquita porpoise and other Mexico species facing extinction.

The Center joined artists, activists and students participating in the procession. More than 300 people formed a human chain and passed along a sculpture of a vaquita skull. At the end of the line, it was placed in a larger sculpture at the National Museum of Anthropology.

Read more and see photos from this powerful event.

Fracking Could Be Curbed on Ohio's National Forest

Wayne National Forest

Good news from Ohio: After a lawsuit by the Center and allies, the Forest Service says it will revise its land-management plan for the Wayne National Forest, meaning it's possible that fracking in the state's only national forest will be reined in.

Fracking threatens the area's rivers, endangered species and forests — the very ecosystems Congress meant to protect when it created the Wayne in the 1930s.

"This is welcome news," said the Center's Taylor McKinnon. "The public can now demand a plan that bans fracking there." Read more.

Prairie dog

Wild & Weird: Do You Speak Prairie-dog-ese?

Prairie dogs communicate with each other using incredibly sophisticated language, according to scientists. Researchers have recorded these little burrowing mammals using their calls to describe approaching strangers — which could mean danger — in great detail, using adjectives and their own grammar rules.

Check out our video about talking prairie dogs on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram and read more in The New York Times.

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Photo credits: Red wolf by e_monk/Flickr; offshore drilling protest by Nicola Buck; Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness by A. Strakey/Flickr; Dow Chemical facility by trustypics/Flickr; Otay Mesa Detention Center by BBC World Service/Flickr; vaquita procession by Alex Olivera/Center for Biological Diversity; Wayne National Forest courtesy USFS; prairie dog by Blue Streak/Vimeo.

Center for Biological Diversity
P.O. Box 710
Tucson, AZ 85702
United States