I can't imagine it was too much, it's not like dead alligators are hard to source in Louisiana or a boat that'll get you out in the Gulf of Mexico.
I'd rather some tax money be spent on something like this that'll let us learn about the world around us than giving it to some welfare rats so they can buy steak and Mad Dog 20/20.
If you dropped a liberal into the ocean with an anchor around his neck would anything eat him/her or would him/ her just float to the top as scum. Repeat 32,000,000 times just to make sure you have accurate data.