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For Immediate Release
Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund Names Ira New Breast Conservation Hero
WASHINGTON, DC – Montana native and Defenders of Wildlife Board Member Ira New Breast was named a Conservation Hero by the Walt Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund for his work with swift foxes. New Breast is one of five global award winners this year. Recognizing that conservation initiatives are only as successful as the people involved with the project, Disney’s Conservation Fund was created to support the efforts of local residents.
To honor his work, the Walt Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund is presenting a cash award of $500 to New Breast, and another $500 will be awarded to a community project of his choosing. The award was presented by Defenders of Wildlife on behalf of the Walt Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund.
By offering the tribal ranch as a release site, New Breast, the executive director of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society in Denver, Colorado, and the former director of the Blackfeet Reservation Fish & Wildlife Department, was instrumental to Defenders’ efforts to reintroduce a self-sustaining swift fox population on the Blackfeet Reservation – a true wildlife conservation success story. The reservation contains part of the largest remaining pristine prairie in Montana.
During the five years that foxes were released, New Breast played a key role in overseeing the logistics of the permitting process of cross-border issues between the United States and Canada, and the release of captive foxes. He supervised all the on-site operations of the project, including overseeing the tribal field biologists hired to monitor the foxes. New Breast’s regular communications with the tribal council were crucial to insure their support of the fox project.
With the help of Walt Disney World guests, the Walt Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund has supported more than 350 conservation projects totaling $7 million.
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Defenders of Wildlife is one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and habitat, and was named as one of America's Top 100 Charities by Worth magazine. With more than 480,000 members and supporters, Defenders is an effective voice for wildlife and habitat. To learn more about Defenders of Wildlife, please visit www.defenders.org.
