Defenders in Action: Protecting Diverse Wildlife

Florida has some of the greatest biological diversity in the country and Defenders is committed to ensuring it remains that way. We particularly focus on protecting and recovering wide-ranging keystone and umbrella species—wildlife whose conservation benefits many other plants and animals that share the same habitat—such as Florida panthers and black bears.

How We’re Helping

• Defenders participates in workgroups, recovery teams and other management planning efforts to establish conservation priorities and actions for many species, including the Florida panther, Florida black bear, Florida manatee, gopher tortoise, bald eagle and peregrine falcon.
• We act as a watchdog for the implementation of Florida’s Threatened Species Rule, the state’s equivalent of the federal Endangered Species Act. We are working to ensure the development of strong and effective species management plans, grounded by current scientific information, to prioritize important conservation actions.