Lions facing extinction ?

Researching for my next painting of a coalition of male lions I have been looking at some documentary film of lions in the wild. Awesome animals that they are it's hard to believe that they too face a bleak future at the hands of man. How can it be, lions have always been there just like elephants so what is happening to endanger them ? Habitat loss and poaching are the greatest threat to these magnificent true kings of the African landscape. From hot open plains to swamps these remarkable cats forge an existence full of danger and threats to their survival from not just humans but the prey animals they need for food such as buffalo. It is almost unbelievable that trophy hunters are still able to kill these astounding animals for just fun and ego. The large males are targeted for their heads, how utterly sickening. It makes me wonder what kind of human can deliberately hunt down and kill an animals so defenceless in the face of the high powered weapons that are used. How do they feel like the heroes they imagine themselves to be ? How indeed do they sleep at night knowing they have taken such a unique life force ?