The fact is, there are a lot of do-gooders who help some animals, or people, and not others. And spend their own time, money and resources to do it. Is it better to help crippled kids in one country or starving kids in another ? Well you can argue that philosophical point till the cows come home but the fact is that some people are going out and doing it.
As for the whale, there are plenty of rich people who would try to feed the whale and probably succeed, and not at the taxpayers expense.
It would also be an invaluable research opportunity.
And the fact, there are often thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars spent to save one animal in distress, when it comes to public attention, when that money may indeed have been spent ameliorating conditions for hundreds of other animals. You could equally well argue that 1000 poor people should be given Corollas instead of spending the same money on one Lamborghini.
The government stopped people from assisting the whale for misguided IDEOLOGICAL reasons.
