Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Argentina's iconic Perito Moreno glacier, one of Patagonia's top tourist attractions, is entering a phase of rapid retreat that experts say is irreversible.
For decades, the massive ice formation was considered an exception. While most glaciers in the region were shrinking, Perito Moreno held a fragile balance. Its towering wall over Lake Argentino and dramatic ice ruptures -- which attract large numbers of tourists from the city of El Calafate -- made it one of the region's most famous natural landmarks.
But a study published in Communications Earth & Environment has raised alarms. Led by German and Argentine scientists, the study found that the glacier has been retreating rapidly since 2019 after remaining nearly stable until then.
Between 2000 and 2018, its thinning rate was about 1 foot a year. That rate jumped to 18 feet a year between 2019 and 2024. In some areas, the glacier has retreated more than 2,600 feet in just five years.
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