Extinct in the Wild (EW) is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa, the only known living members of which are being kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range[1].
| Conservation status |
|---|
| by risk of extinction |
| Extinct |
| Extinct Extinct in the Wild |
| Threatened |
| Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable |
| At lower risk |
| Conservation Dependent Near Threatened Least Concern |
|
See also IUCN Red List International Union for Conservation of Nature |
Contents |
Examples of species and subspecies that are extinct in the wild include:
The Pinta Island Tortoise (Geochelone nigra abingdoni) has only one living individual, Lonesome George.[3] The turtle was believed to be entirely extinct until Hungarian malacologist József Vágvölgyi spotted Lonesome George on the Galapagos island of Pinta on 1 December 1971. Since then, Lonesome George has been a powerful symbol for conservation efforts in general and for the Galapagos Islands in particular.[4]
Not all species that are extinct in the wild are endangered or even rare. For example, Ameca splendens[5], though extinct in the wild, are very popular aquarium fish.
Reintroduction is the deliberate release of species into the wild, from captivity or relocated from other areas where the species survives. This may be an option for certain species that are endangered or extinct in the wild. However, it may be difficult to reintroduce EW species into the wild, even if their natural habitats were restored, because survival techniques, which are often passed from parents to offspring during parenting, may be lost. While conservation efforts may preserve some of the genetics of a species, the species may never fully recover.