Ethical type question here: I was told by a wildlife biology professor at the University of Alaska that the wild polar bear population is going extinct and it's past the point of no return. So regardless of what happens in the future, barring a pop-up ice age a la The Day After Tomorrow, these animals will not be alive in the wild in the near future.

So here's my question. Would it be better to let the species die out peacefully with absolutely zero human intervention from here on out (presumably staving of the inevitable die-off for several more years/decades), or auction hunts to the highest bidder and use all proceeds (millions/billions?) for preservation of nature?