According to Panthera, lions have been classified as extinct in 26 African countries due to several reasons that include poaching, habitat loss and conflict with local people. There are many different approaches to try and conserve the lion population, one of which is... trophy hunting?

That’s right, it seems there are quite a few people who believe hunting is an important form of conservation. So what is behind the argument of killing an animal in order to protect its kind?

The effects of trophy hunting are far from clear-cut, but there is research to suggest that a robust hunting industry can successfully prevent grassland from being converted to agriculture and that hunting generates revenue for local communities. The trophy hunting industry is worth billions of dollars. Wealthy hunters are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to shoot endangered species such as elephants and lions.