No. 1311, August 21, 2025

Federal Appeals Court Blocks Oak Flat Land Exchange 

We’re celebrating a surprising milestone in the fight for Oak Flat, public lands in Arizona sacred to Indigenous peoples and habitat for species like endangered ocelots and Arizona hedgehog cacti. 

Hours before a devastating land swap would’ve moved forward, on Monday the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an emergency injunction blocking the Trump administration from handing Oak Flat over to an international mining conglomerate while three lawsuits proceed — one by the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups, one by the San Carlos Apache Tribe, and a third by Apache women.  

“Everyone who loves Oak Flat can exhale for now,” said the Center’s Russ McSpadden. “But the battle over this extraordinary place is far from over. The Oak Flat land exchange would inflict real harm on the Apache people and the wildlife who call the area home. We’ll continue the fight to protect Oak Flat for generations to come.” 

New Wolf Pups in Just 3 of 10 California Packs 

Only three of California’s 10 known wolf families have been confirmed to have had pups this year, according to a quarterly update from state officials. While we’re glad to know that the Harvey, Beyem Seyo, and Whaleback packs have new offspring — at least 22 pups so far in 2025 — California needs more wolves in more places to keep recovery on track. 

“Wolf recovery in California affirms that with adequate legal protections, even a species that’s been gone for nearly 100 years can return,” said the Center’s Amaroq Weiss. 

The Center has been a leading voice for protecting wolves since they returned to the Golden State more than a decade ago. Help our fight with a gift to the Future for the Wild Fund. 

Court Victory Protects Pacific Islands Wildlife 

In a crucial win for endangered sea turtles, seabirds, and other wildlife, a federal judge has ruled that commercial fishing can’t legally continue in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, which is south of Hawai‘i. 

The court’s order cancels NOAA Fisheries’ April letter trying to authorize commercial fishing in parts of the monument that then-President Obama protected in 2014. The Center and allies challenged that authorization. 

The monument is home to deep-sea corals, giant manta rays, and five species of threatened or endangered turtles (including leatherbacks) and hosts millions of seabirds who come to feed, including endangered Hawaiian petrels.  

Tell Etsy and eBay: Stop Hawking Wildlife Products 

According to fossil records, nautiluses have been cruising around the deep sea for about 500 million years. Now these fascinating cephalopods are plunging toward extinction — but Etsy and eBay still allow the sale of their stunning shells for decorations and accessories.  

Take action: Help us call on both platforms to commit to ending listings of all wild-sourced wildlife products by the end of the year. 

Then head to Facebook or Instagram to watch a video of nautiluses where they belong: the ocean. (These animals are apparently — unfortunately — investigating some human trash.) 

U.N. Plastics Talks Close Without a Treaty  

The latest session of the United Nations’ intergovernmental negotiating committee on plastic pollution just ended — without an agreement to end plastic pollution or clear plans for moving forward. That leaves oceans, wildlife, and people vulnerable to surging plastic production and pollution. But it happened because countries serious about solving the plastic crisis resisted calls for a weak treaty that doesn’t address the core problem: exponential plastic production.  

“This isn’t the result we fought for, but there's still a chance for a strong treaty in the future,” said Center attorney David Derrick, who attended the session in Geneva. 

While we wait for the next talks, take action: Sign the Center’s petition asking Coca-Cola, the world's largest consumer-facing plastic seller, to bring back refillable glass bottles.

Revelator: 18 Things to Do Before Summer Ends 

Have the first eight months of this year left you feeling slightly … tapped? The Revelator has a few recommendations for your end-of-summer to-do list to recharge and set yourself up for effective planet-protecting the rest of the year — and maybe even make a difference before the summer’s over. 

If you haven’t yet, subscribe to The Revelator’s free weekly e-newsletter for more wildlife and conservation news. 

That’s Wild: How Pythons Digest Bones 

So what’s the secret to Burmese pythons’ ability to swallow deer and other big animals whole — and fully digest the bones? 

Scientists solved the mystery with their recent discovery of a special cell type, previously unknown, that lines the snakes’ intestines. Besides breaking down bones, the cells also help regulate how much calcium the rest of the snake’s body absorbs — important because too much calcium can lead to a heart condition and other health problems. 

Researchers have since found the bone-digesting cells in other types of pythons, as well as boas and Gila monsters.  

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Photo credits: Arizona hedgehog cactus by Stan Shebs/Wikimedia, ocelot by Robin Silver/Center for Biological Diversity; 2025 California wolf pups courtesy CDFW; leatherback sea turtle hatchling courtesy NOAA; nautiluses from a video courtesy NOAA; Hawaiian monk seal by Matthew Chauvin/NOAA; person's silhouette by David Monje/Unsplash; Burmese python by Shadow Ayush/Wikimedia.

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