Conservation genetics of an isolated giraffe population in Swaziland
Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) are a critical component of the savannah’s browsing guild (Birkett, 2002), although their distribution is discontinuous and the species has declined over most of the range (Fennessy, 2008). Often confined to protected areas, management of the giraffes has increasingly focused on maintaining small, closed populations including private lands or conservation areas (Brenneman et al., 2009b). The mating system and social structure of giraffe evolved in large, continuous savannah habitats. Females may only be sexually receptive for a