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.

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. 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.

Not all species that are extinct in the wild are endangered or even rare. For example, Ameca splendens, though extinct in the wild, are very popular aquarium fish.^{[citation needed]}

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.

In The Wild is a popular nature television series produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 1976 until 1981. It is hosted by Harry Butler, a noted Australian naturalist and environmental consultant. The show is a direct predecessor to the Steve Irwin/Crocodile Hunter hands-on style of nature television. Butler however is always gentle and respectful in his handling of animals.

The re-runs of In The Wild continued to play into the 1990s.

Available on DVD at Amazon.com

The Wild is a 2006computer-animated film directed by Steve "Spaz" Williams, produced by Clint Goldman, assistant produced by Jim Burton and C.O.R.E. Feature Animation, and was distributed by Walt Disney Pictures on April 14, 2006, in the United States.

The movie begins with Samson the lion (voiced by Kiefer Sutherland) telling his son Ryan (voiced by Greg Cipes) stories of his adventures in the wild. Ryan attempts to imitate his father's roar, but all he can manage is a squeaky meow. Ryan is teased by the zoo guests and he sulks away on his rock. During the night, when the zoo closes, all the animals are free to roam. Samson heads off to play a game of Turtle Curling with the other animals, while Ryan is taunted to come with his friends Eze the Hippo (voiced by Miles Marsico) and Duke the Kangaroo (Jack DeSena) to stalk the gazelles like his father. Samson later observes as his best friend Benny the Squirrel (voiced by James Belushi) tries to get Bridget the Giraffe (voiced by Janeane Garofalo) to go out with him, but she is clearly not interested. Along with Bridget, an unlucky koala named Nigel (voiced by Eddie Izzard), and a dim-witted snake named Larry (voiced by Richard Kind), Samson competes in a Turtle Curling Game against a team of Penguins. Meanwhile, Ryan's friends sneak into the gazelle exhibit. Ryan tries to stop Eze and Duke with a roar, but meows instead. However, it wakes the gazelles into a stampede, which ruins his father's game. This ends up invoking Samson's anger as he scolds Ryan for spending all day sulking. Ryan retorts by saying he sulks because he would feel much better being a loser if his father wasn't "Samson the Wild."