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Defenders of Wildlife

@Defenders

Defenders of Wildlife leads the pack in protecting and restoring America’s wildlife at risk of extinction.

 Washington, DC
Defenders.org
Joined July 2008
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  • Followers178K
America was shaped by the wild. And throughout history, we have recognized the importance of protecting wildlife and wild lands – this is our shared heritage. While our country may not always see eye to eye, when it comes to our love for wildlife, we know we’re united.
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Some of nature’s creepiest creatures don’t even need a costume. From gravedigging beetles to butchering birds, wildlife is full of spooky, Halloween-level behavior. However, even the creepiest and the crawliest out there deserve our admiration and our protection! 🧵(1/5)
A loggerhead shrike on a stick with some cactus spines above it. Text reads "Loggerhead Shrike" "The 'butcher bird'" and "I impale my prey!" in a text box coming from the shrike. More text in the bottom right says "Swipe to see" with an arrow to the right.

ALT A loggerhead shrike on a stick with some cactus spines above it. Text reads "Loggerhead Shrike" "The 'butcher bird'" and "I impale my prey!" in a text box coming from the shrike. More text in the bottom right says "Swipe to see" with an arrow to the right.

A lizard skewered on a spine. Text reads "Their favorite meals include insects, mice, other birds or lizards - like this one." Photo credit to Mark Silverstein.

ALT A lizard skewered on a spine. Text reads "Their favorite meals include insects, mice, other birds or lizards - like this one." Photo credit to Mark Silverstein.

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A Black Footed Ferret in motion. Text: "Black-Footed Ferret," "These creatures have natural 'bandit masks,'" and in a text box with a ferret head sticking out from behind it: "These predators spend much of their lives underground in prairie dog burrows, slinking out after dark to hunt their roommates."

ALT A Black Footed Ferret in motion. Text: "Black-Footed Ferret," "These creatures have natural 'bandit masks,'" and in a text box with a ferret head sticking out from behind it: "These predators spend much of their lives underground in prairie dog burrows, slinking out after dark to hunt their roommates."

A Black-Footed Ferret head biting at a prairie dog running away. Text box from ferret says "I eat ~100 prairie dogs a year!" Photo credit to Kimberly Fraser/FWS.

ALT A Black-Footed Ferret head biting at a prairie dog running away. Text box from ferret says "I eat ~100 prairie dogs a year!" Photo credit to Kimberly Fraser/FWS.

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The back half of a turkey vulture. Text: "Turkey Vulture," "Nature's own disease control," and in a text box: "Turkey vultures projectile vomit a mix of stomach acid and half-digested meat up to 10 feet at predators as a defense mechanism."

ALT The back half of a turkey vulture. Text: "Turkey Vulture," "Nature's own disease control," and in a text box: "Turkey vultures projectile vomit a mix of stomach acid and half-digested meat up to 10 feet at predators as a defense mechanism."

The front half of a turkey vulture in the foreground standing on a log with another vulture in the background. Text box from vulture in front reads "My vomit is strong enough to kill the bacteria behind both anthrax and rabies!" Photo credit to Marneejill (CC BY-SA 2.0)

ALT The front half of a turkey vulture in the foreground standing on a log with another vulture in the background. Text box from vulture in front reads "My vomit is strong enough to kill the bacteria behind both anthrax and rabies!" Photo credit to Marneejill (CC BY-SA 2.0)

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On the road again… When mature, tarantulas can travel up to 20 miles a day in search of a mate! The largest spider, able to grow 6 inches long, tarantulas may look ferocious but are not deadly to humans and are usually calm except when disturbed.
Tarantula walking along a road in the desert. Photo credit to Krista Schlyer.

ALT Tarantula walking along a road in the desert. Photo credit to Krista Schlyer.

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A lot of animals get a bad rap for being “scary," but the frightening expectation is usually a lot different than the reality we know. Bears nurture their young, alligators sunbathe, bats eat fruit nectar. That’s what they're actually like. Not so scary, huh? 🧵⬇️ (1/6)
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Our politics are whatever protects this...
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Can you tell gray wolves and coyotes apart? Since we don’t recommend that you approach animals in the wild, here’s a handy guide to help you tell them apart. If you do spot a wolf in the wild, note their location and report it to your state wildlife agency! 🧵⬇️ (1/5)
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Happy Wolf Awareness Week! Howl with us 🐺
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The Senate shouldn’t weaken the laws that protect our wild neighbors in the name of faster permitting. Wildlife isn’t an obstacle to America’s prosperity. It is part of what makes this country rich. The Endangered Species Act works. Take action: dfnd.us/4dwc0Fb
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Image from Defenders of Wildlife (@Defenders)
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