The beluga whales that live in Cook Inlet, Alaska, have been officially placed on the endangered list by the federal government, despite the objections Sarah Palin and others brought against the decision. The belugas have suffered a 50% decrease in population since 1990 due to pollution, excessive fishing and the destruction of their habitat. Presently, the whales living in Cook Inlet can actually be counted, that is how radically their numbers have decreased. It has been reported that only about 375 beluga whales have been spotted in the area in the last 2 years, which is alarming. Some say it was about time the belugas enjoyed the endangered species protection, while others, like Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin, strongly disagree.

One might ask about the objections, the arguments against listing the beluga whale on the endangered species list. What can possibly be worse than losing an entire species of animals which will, ultimately, lead to other species disappearing and so to the absolute destruction of planet Earth? Sarah Palin thinks the answer is losing oil. The governor of Alaska is concerned that this action would restrict offshore oil and gas development, because this would mean the destruction and pollution of the whale’s habitat. Also, the governor believes that this would affect other projects as well, like the expansion of the Port of Anchorage and the construction of a bridge over Knik Arm.

Sarah Palin called the decision of the federal government premature. The fisheries agency said that another reason why the whales have become endangered is mass stranding, where a group of whales become stuck on shore due to the fast changing tides in the area.