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Biodiversity

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Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. It is necessary for life to thrive on Earth.

Aldo Leopold, one of the great thinkers of conservation, observed more than half a century ago the importance of protecting species. "To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering," he wrote. Losing species is like throwing away one by one the engine parts of an airplane while flying.

Biodiversity is a major initiative of Conservation International.

Biodiversity conservation provides substantial benefits to meet immediate human needs, such as those for clean, consistent water flows; protection from floods and storms; and a stable climate. 

Curated by mokiethecat

Fighting for Gray Wolves
January 06, 2026
The Trump administration published a finding that protecting the gray wolf under the ESA is “no longer appropriate” and that the agency would not be preparing an updated recovery plan. So we filed a notice of our intent to sue the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service for refusing to develop a national gray wolf recovery plan under the ESA. The notice comes two years after we won a similar lawsuit. “We’re challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful decision to once again abandon wolf recovery, and we’ll win,” said Collette Adkins, a senior attorney and the carnivore conservation director at the Center. “The Fish and Wildlife Service must live up to the reality of what science and the law demand. That means a comprehensive plan that addresses gray wolf recovery across the country.” Under the first Trump administration, the Service stripped gray wolves of their federal protections. Before a federal court restored those protections, hundreds of wolves were hunted and trapped under state management. “We know that Trump’s plan to strip gray wolves of lifesaving protections will be a disaster because we’ve seen it before,” said Adkins. “This cycle of on-and-off again protections must end. Wolves deserve to be safe and that’s why we keep fighting for them.” The Endangered Species Act requires that parties submit a 60-day notice of intent to sue before a lawsuit can be filed. The Center intends to file its formal lawsuit in early February. Video credit: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife/NPS