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Climate threat to glaciers on Mountains of the Moon

The Scotsman
WED 17 May 2006
IAN JOHNSTON

GLACIERS in equatorial Africa that are one of the ultimate sources of the River Nile will disappear within two decades from the fabled Mountains of the Moon because of global warming, scientists warned yesterday.

The legendary status of the Rwenzori Mountains, on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, was established when the second century Greek geographer Ptolemy made the then preposterous claim that meltwater from their ice-capped peaks made its way into the Nile.

And for the local BaKonzo people the snow and ice of the mountains, known as Nzururu, is the father of gods responsible for protecting them from other tribes and dangerous diseases.

A century ago, glaciers were estimated to spread over some 6.5 square kilometres, but they now cover less than one square kilometre and are retreating by between ten and 30 metres every year.

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