The ecosystem is a complex web of life interconnected for sustenance and survival. The food chain governs the elements of the whole system. Without an effective food chain the populations would cause havoc and the habitat would come into imbalance.
The predators consume the herbivores in order survive and in the process control their population. This prevent overgrazing which would be disastrous for the habitat. In this manner they also act as seed dispersal agents. The top level carnivores are tertiary carnivores like the tiger and the leopards. Other come below the pyramid and some like the Jackal are both hunters and scavengers.
Hyena and Wolf are predators that are more often found in open scrub and dry habitats. These are getting scarcer as human civilization has moved. The predator play an important role in the food chain hence utilization of energy.
The tiger at the top consumes anything that moves but its prime prey is the deer, wild boar, Nilgai, Langur, Bison and sometimes other predators. It kills other animals like the omnivorous sloth bear and porcupine. The leopard kills smaller animals like spotted deer, barking deer, langurs, wild boars and so on.
Wild dogs survive on deer but are not able to kill bison and large Sambar. They are pack hunters and consume their prey while it is still alive. Jackal and fox survive on small animals like rodents, fawns, reptiles, and even insects. These animals can also survive on vegetation especially fruits and berries.
Hence these animals often treated as vermin play a crucial role in preservation of an ecosystem and the habitats there in. Tiger number has drastically reduced in India and they are in danger of becoming extinct. Since it is an indicator species as well its loss will be a major blow to natural Earth.
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