The overused term "charismatic megavertebrate" means exactly that: large
vertebrates which are
cute,
beautiful, or
culturally significant, and hence popular with the lay public. These animals draw huge crowds to see them in
zoos and fuel much of
eco-tourism. In their natural
habitat, when they are threatened by
poaching,
pollution, or
habitat destruction, huge effort and heartfelt emotion is often expended in their defense. The flipside of this phenomenon is the plight of ugly and small species, whose
extinction can pass nearly unnoticed. Of course, most of the factors that threaten charismatic megavertebrates also threaten the other species which which they share their
ecosystems, so the resulting conservation efforts do have
trickle down effects on more species than just their intended beneficiaries.
Some example species: