he sixth extinction elizabeth kolbert
In The Sixth Extinction, Elizabeth Kolbert argues that the current extinction event is being caused by humans. Chapter 1 is about the dwindling numbers of the Panamanian golden frog. At first, we as readers might be dismissive of this: it’s just one type of frog, which is sad, but it probably won’t affect our lives. But by the end of the chapter, we realize that the near-extinction of the Panamanian golden frogs might be representative of something larger going on.
How does the order in which Kolbert reveals her information in this chapter contribute to her argument that humans are impacting the extinction of species? How does it make her position more persuasive?
Also, Kolbert tells us about EVACC, which exists to keep threatened species of frogs alive. Do you think this is a good use of time and money? Should we be artificially keeping species like the Panamanian golden frog alive? If humans have indeed introduced the fungus that is killing them, do we now have a responsibility to save them? Or are we overstepping our bounds? Do you think it will ever be possible to re-home them in the wild?
