Glacial recession has been clearly visible over the last 14 years. The southern Ice fields have withdrawn several hundred metres vertically. The most noticeable changes are on the Heim Glacier. Previously this had a "dog's leg" in in it and it extended lower than any of the other glaciers in the southern ice fields. Currently the "dog's leg" is gone and the glacier has retracted over 350m up the mountain.
The summit of Kilimanjaro was at one stage covered by an ice cap more than 100 meters thick. The glaciers of Kilimanjaro extended far down the mountain and formed moraine ridges which are clearly visible now on the southern slopes (to about 4000m). At present just a small percentage of the glacial cover remains and more is lost every year as a result of sublimation (when ice turns to water vapour in the sub-zero dry air). The main cause of this loss is probably deforestation of the Lower Slopes rather than global climate change.
The remains of the ice cap can be seen as ice cliffs on the Northern and Eastern Icefields. The largest remaining glaciers are found on the precipitous southern and south-western slopes. If the present rate of retraction continues the glaciers on Kilimanjaro could disappear within 50 years.
It is estimated that Kilimanjaro has lost 85% of its ice cover since 1912. Please
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