it is not point less to play "what if game" because each of his points were actual, valid points. except for the carrot since as far as we know it has no intelligence and you stressed that part.
if most people on the planet liked whale meat it would be the best thing ever for them. look at animals most people eat - cows, pigs, chickens. non of them face extinction because they are demanded. there are more chickens in the world than there are people. if everyone started eating pandas and whales then mass breeding of those animals would start and the threat of extinction would no longer exist.
so. if you want to save a species then simply get people to eat them
