'Thinning the herd' (aka population control) and killing to survive are separate concepts, though they can overlap. Plants are also alive and die when eaten, but that is outside the context of this post. The point is about the ethical difference between choosing to kill to control populations versus the necessity of survival.

Since we have multiple proven, non-lethal methods to manage wildlife populations - methods that are both effective and humane - lethal control is clearly a choice rather than a necessity. This choice reflects our values and priorities as a species.