The concept of ‘Umbrella Species’ took flight in the 1980s when biodiversity conservation strategies were being discussed.
Soon, the tiger in India was overwhelmingly considered an Umbrella Species that, if protected, would also conserve a host of other organisms and their habitats just as an umbrella would prevent everything under its coverage area from getting wet in the rain.
However, there were problems with this strategy of wildlife protection.
In the last few years, it is clear that while tiger numbers have increased, biodiversity and habitats in general are faring more poorly than when the umbrella species approach was implemented.