Jim Robbins America's Gray Ghosts
Jim Robbins wrote “America's Gray Ghosts: The Disappearing Caribou” for The New York Times in order to raise the issue of struggling caribou populations in North America and encourage a government response. Robbin advocates for the protection of caribou by referencing experts on the topic in order to establish his authority and statistics that support his argument on a logical level. In order to establish his credibility, Robbins uses the knowledge of experts on caribou biology. Robbin establishes his authority on caribou by referencing “Norm Merz, a wildlife biologist with the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho”, who agreed with Robbins's position on the status of caribou. By including the opinion of a highly qualified person, Robbins makes himself
seem more informed and therefore more credible. As the position that Merz expresses perfectly complements Robbins's argument, Robbins's inclusion of Merz's stance effectively furthers his purpose. In addition, Robbins uses the words of “Joe Scott, the director of international programs at Conservation Northwest, an environmental group in Washington State” in order to support his claim that limiting the territory reserved for caribou signals a lack of effort on the part of the government for caribou conservation. This claim is a key part of Robbins's argument, and the fact that the same claim is repeated by someone with a great deal of expertise in the field significantly furthers Robbins's purpose. The inclusion of these experts shows that Robbins has a large amount knowledge concerning the important forces influencing this issue, which increases his credibility and strengthens his argument. Robbins's usage of statistics helps him to logically achieve his purpose. When describing the decline of the caribou population, Robbins states “there were some 1,354 mountain caribou in Southern British Columbia” at the last count, compared to a decade ago, when “there were thousands.” The statistics that Robbins uses prove that caribou populations in North America are steeply declining and that government intervention is necessary in order to save the population from falling further. However, Robbins argues this government intervention is stymied by pressure from development advocates, relating how “In 2012, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to set aside more than 375,000 acres of critical habitat for the caribou”, but ultimately reduced the area to 30,000 acres due to the protests of snowmobilers. Robbins's usage of statistics in this case further his purpose by directing leading to his conclusion: in order to save the caribou, the government must take action and take serious steps towards raising caribou population. Robbins's usage of statistics helps him pressure the governments of Canada and the United States to protect caribou through logical means. Robbins's article accurately depicts the danger of extinction caribous face and calls on the government to protect caribou habitat, despite outside pressures. By using appeals to logical reasoning and expert opinion, Robbins achieves his purpose, calling on the government to save the caribou population.
seem more informed and therefore more credible. As the position that Merz expresses perfectly complements Robbins's argument, Robbins's inclusion of Merz's stance effectively furthers his purpose. In addition, Robbins uses the words of “Joe Scott, the director of international programs at Conservation Northwest, an environmental group in Washington State” in order to support his claim that limiting the territory reserved for caribou signals a lack of effort on the part of the government for caribou conservation. This claim is a key part of Robbins's argument, and the fact that the same claim is repeated by someone with a great deal of expertise in the field significantly furthers Robbins's purpose. The inclusion of these experts shows that Robbins has a large amount knowledge concerning the important forces influencing this issue, which increases his credibility and strengthens his argument. Robbins's usage of statistics helps him to logically achieve his purpose. When describing the decline of the caribou population, Robbins states “there were some 1,354 mountain caribou in Southern British Columbia” at the last count, compared to a decade ago, when “there were thousands.” The statistics that Robbins uses prove that caribou populations in North America are steeply declining and that government intervention is necessary in order to save the population from falling further. However, Robbins argues this government intervention is stymied by pressure from development advocates, relating how “In 2012, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to set aside more than 375,000 acres of critical habitat for the caribou”, but ultimately reduced the area to 30,000 acres due to the protests of snowmobilers. Robbins's usage of statistics in this case further his purpose by directing leading to his conclusion: in order to save the caribou, the government must take action and take serious steps towards raising caribou population. Robbins's usage of statistics helps him pressure the governments of Canada and the United States to protect caribou through logical means. Robbins's article accurately depicts the danger of extinction caribous face and calls on the government to protect caribou habitat, despite outside pressures. By using appeals to logical reasoning and expert opinion, Robbins achieves his purpose, calling on the government to save the caribou population.