"Save the tiger" may equal "Save the whole ecosystem." By doing what's necessary to protect tigers, one is protecting a great deal more that the tiger is dependent upon.

Here we have what might in fact be a good reason to concentrate more upon the conservation of the tiger than upon less conspicuous animals.

The tiger is what is known among biologists as a crown predator. It's at the very top of the food chain. It eats many other animals, but nothing eats its. As such, it interacts with, and in many cases dominates, enormous portions of the lower biosphere. In terms of conservation, this may mean the equivalent of a "two-for-one" deal - or a three-for-one deal … maybe even a thousand-for-one deal. "Save the tiger" may equal "Save the whole ecosystem". By doing what's necessary to protect tigers, one is, in actuality, protecting the ecosystem that the tiger is dependent upon.

In addition to that benefit, tigers are conveniently easy to focus on in terms of public awareness. They supply a captivating and arresting image that less charismatic animals - insects, for example - can benefit from automatically. Attention that goes to the tiger in effect goes to everything in the tiger's domain, regardless of stature.