Concern about Kilimanjaro’s icefields
A dramatic reduction in the ice cap of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is a cause for concern.
By Leon Louw owner of WhyAfrica and editor of the WhyAfrica magazine
A reduction of the ice cover on Tanzania’s most iconic landmark could affect the region’s ecosystems and water resources. WhyAfrica undertook a seven-day hike through the Kilimanjaro National Park recently to determine the impact of changing weather patterns on the mountain’s ecological functions.
The visit to Kilimanjaro was part of the 2024 WhyAfrica Road Trip through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania. We also spend some time in Kenya.
According to Mapinduzi Mdesa, the Chief Conservation Officer from the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), the once expansive ice fields of Mount Kilimanjaro have diminished from 20 square kilometers 110 years ago to a mere 1.7 square kilometers today.
“This is mainly because of the dry, hot winds blowing in from the Indian ocean,” says Mdesa.
Conservationists face challenges
Mdesa’s says conservationists and scientists working to preserve Kilimanjaro’s unique natural heritage face several challenges.
“The decrease in ice cover could affect local weather patterns, biodiversity, and the water supply for surrounding communities. The Tanzania National Parks Authority continues to monitor the situation closely, advocating for increased efforts to combat climate change and protect the remaining ice fields,” says Mdesa.
Ice cores drilled into the Northern Icefield on Kibo (one of three dormant volcanoes that make up Kilimanjaro) are an important record of climate change in East Africa.
What the ice cores tell us
They have revealed that slope glaciers extended to altitudes of 4500m. By 1938 the ice cap had shrunk to an area of 11.4 square kilometres. By 1971 the icefields were divided into three groups: eastern, northern and southern (from Geological Highlights of East Africa’s National Parks by Roger N. Scoon).
Recession of the ice on Kibo during the last 100 years has occurred at about one percent annually, with 40% having disappeared since 1998. Despite average air temperatures at 5000m of minus seven degrees Celsius, ice is melting due to solar radiation on exposed vertical walls.
The loss may, in part, also be due to decreased rainfall because of deforestation on the lower slopes (Scoon 2016).
Read more about the Kilimanjaro National Park on the WhyAfrica website and in future editions of WhyAfrica’s exclusive magazines.
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In picture is Mount Kilimanjaro on WhyAfrica’s recent hike up the mountain.
Image credit: Leon Louw for WhyAfrica
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Concern about Kilimanjaro’s icefields
