Extinct in the Wild

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.

pecies examples

Examples of such animals include:

*Abingdon Island Tortoise
*Red-tailed black shark
*Père David's Deer
*Barbary Lion (extinct in the wild since 1922)
*Wyoming Toad (extinct in the wild since 1991)
*Hawaiian Crow (extinct in the wild since 2002)
*Alagoas Curassow (extinct in the wild since 1987 or 1988)
*Socorro Dove (extinct in the wild since 1972)
*Guam Rail (extinct in the wild since 1980)

See for a list.

Reintroduction

Reintroduction is the deliberate release of species into the wild, from captivity or relocated from other areas where the species survives. It usually involves species that are endangered or extinct in the wild.

It may be very hard to reintroduce EW species into the wild, even if their natural habitats were restored. A main reason may be that the survival techniques, which are normally passed from parents to offspring during parenting, are lost. In other words it may be explained by the fact that the genetics of the species is saved, but the natural memetics of the species is lost.

ee also

*Conservation status
*List of extinct animals
*Extinction
*Reintroduction