You know the only reason national parks were set up in the first place was to allow for hunting. Animals were being cleared out because of human settlement and hunters tried to maintain them. They were the first environmentalists back in the late 19th century, but today they are villified.
Southern Africa has so many animals today because the old ZAR set up the Kruger Park for hunting.
Culling animals is sometimes required when their populations outgrow the carrying capacity of the artificially enclosured parks. They usually can't be allowed to naturally expand into their former ranges, as humans have now settled these areas into towns and farmland. This is especially true for big game.
Of course there are canned hunts, but this is not markedly different or crueler than conventional factory-farming in my opinion, yet presented as some absolute wrong and its practioners as devils. No one would sound so blasé if a chicken farmer was horrifically killed practicing his occupation.
I myself am not a hunter and have no desire to be one, but the double standard here is quite stark. My prayers go out to the man's family.
