The Rothschild Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) is one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies with only a few hundred members in the wild, although giraffes in general are still numerous.br/br/This is the most commonly kept subspecies of giraffe together with the Reticulated Giraffe and there are various captive breeding programmes in place where more than 450 are kept in ISIS registered zoos.br/br/Zoos are increasingly recognising their role both in conservation and in education, becoming more naturalistic in environment, focusing more on species preservation and scientific research and less on entertainment. The pressure of vanishing and unprotected habitats worldwide forces the consideration of captive management, as for many species - zoos are likely to be the last stop on the way to extinction.