Trump Administration Declares a War on Wildlife with Nomination of Brian Nesvik
Last week, the Senate confirmed Brian Nesvik as Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While his appointment was endorsed by some within the traditional wildlife community, the Endangered Species Coalition and numerous conservation partners strongly opposed his confirmation based on his track record of undermining federal protections for imperiled wildlife and prioritizing extractive interests over science-based recovery.
Brian Nesvik has long championed efforts that weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA), including campaigns to prematurely delist gray wolves, eliminate habitat protections, and sideline federal oversight, all while serving the interests of politically powerful industries in the West. His approach reflects the same harmful ideology behind recent legislative attacks like the ESA Amendments Act (H.R. 1897), which aims to hollow out the Endangered Species Act.
The Endangered Species Act is one of our nation’s most successful and beloved environmental laws. It has prevented the extinction of more than 99% of listed species — from bald eagles to gray whales — and remains a beacon of bipartisan conservation. What imperiled wildlife need now is a science-driven leader committed to recovery, not one who pushes states to sidestep federal accountability and science.
We are not alone in our concerns. Organizations across the country, including Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, Western Watersheds Project, WildEarth Guardians, Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, and GreenLatinos, stood firmly against this nomination. These are frontline groups who have seen the real impacts of policies that erode protections, fragment habitats, and put species on a collision course with extinction.
In the words of our Executive Director, Susan Holmes:
“The Endangered Species Act only works when science leads the way. Political appointees who disregard habitat science, suppress recovery recommendations, or champion premature delisting put our most vulnerable wildlife at grave risk. This confirmation is a setback — but our fight to defend endangered species is far from over.”
We remain committed to holding the Fish and Wildlife Service accountable and to protecting the integrity of the Endangered Species Act against political interference. We urge members of Congress and the public to stand with us and with the science to ensure the future of America’s most at-risk species.
What our partners are saying:
Kristin CombsExecutive Director of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates
Joanna ZhangEndangered Species Advocate at WildEarth Guardians
Stephanie KuroseCenter for Biological Diversity Deputy Director of Government Affairs
“Nesvik has a track record of favoring industries over wildlife. Ranching and agriculture and extracted industries get all the concessions here in Wyoming,” said Kristin Combs, Executive Director of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates. “There’s no reason to think that it would be any different at the federal level.”
“Rather than ensuring the survival of America’s most at-risk wildlife, Nesvik’s history suggests he will do the opposite—greenlighting more destruction, more killing, and more habitat loss,” said Joanna Zhang, endangered species advocate at WildEarth Guardians.
“WildEarth Guardians and our allies will fight every step of the way to hold this administration accountable and protect our nation’s wildlife from this disastrous leadership.”
“Nesvik’s lackadaisical response to the tormenting of that young Wyoming wolf speaks volumes about his lack of care for wildlife,” said Stephanie Kurose, Center for Biological Diversity Deputy Director of Government Affairs. “But his larger record truly underscores how deeply he despises the Fish and Wildlife Service’s fundamental mission. Most Americans want our imperiled wildlife protected, but we can’t count on Nesvik to lift a finger to prevent extinction.”
“Nesvik’s tenure as head of Wyoming Game and Fish prioritized trophy hunts and weakened protections for imperiled species over scientifically sound wildlife management,” said Bradley Williams, Sierra Club’s Deputy Legislative Director for Wildlife and Lands Protection. “One of the USFWS most important roles is upholding the Endangered Species Act, and given his experience, it’s not clear whether Nesvik will be able to fulfill that duty. Unfortunately, it appears that wildlife will pay the price.”
“California’s national wildlife refuges are a cornerstone of Latino communities’ access to nature and biodiversity,” said Pedro Hernandez, California State Program Manager for GreenLatinos. “Our refuge system and successful Endangered Species Act implementation have supported California as a global biodiversity hotspot. Yet, Brian Nesvik’s nomination risks years of progress and his track record threatens to roll back the clock to a time when our refuge system was even more under-resourced and dominated by extractive interests. Our communities can’t afford leadership that deprioritizes science, equity, species protections and ecological integrity.”
“Brian Nesvik has repeatedly used state power to undermine the very laws he’s now charged with upholding. His confirmation as Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a gift to extractive industries and a threat to imperiled species across the West,” said Josh Osher, Public Policy Director for Western Watersheds Project. “From sanctioning wolf slaughter to promoting unsustainable livestock grazing on public lands, Nesvik has consistently prioritized industry profits over ecological integrity. We need leadership rooted in science and recovery — not someone who treats the Endangered Species Act as an obstacle to be dismantled.”
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