That is quite true. And that goes for many species. Sport hunting is one of the ways to add value to species that are dangerous or destructive to human habitat.
When you limit the number of animals taken, raise the price to hunt them and employ as many people as possible to help care for the hunters then you have turned something that has no value into something that is a resource.
I cringe when I hear the "no ivory" commercials. Elephants are majestic creatures unless they are stomping across your fields and uprooting your orchards.
Controlled harvests keep the population in check and gives the locals a reason to want to keep them around.
I fear they are going to "protect" the animals right into extinction.
“I fear they are going to “protect” the animals right into extinction.”
That is precisely the path that we are on. The people emotionally reacting to the death of an old alpha male lion are working hard to ensure the extinction of African lions.
They do not realize that is what they are doing, but it is exactly what they are doing.