India, Oct. 6 -- If you love the golden-black stripes of the regal tiger, you will also appreciate the iridescent feathers, sparkly eyes, swishing tails, and melodious whistles that dot our forests. And so, during National Wildlife Week, I urge you to celebrate and cherish the diversity beyond our national animal.

The tiger is an umbrella or flagship species. They usually have large territories and disperse widely when looking for new territories and mates. The tiger also requires healthy prey populations and suitable habitats that can support these populations. As a consequence, the conservation of tigers leads to the protection of large tracts of forests and the conservation of their prey species and co-predators. This perspective has ...