- A raging fire has been sweeping across Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain and one of the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystems for the last five days.
- The mountain’s snow-capped peaks and the surrounding national park with endemic plants and dozens of animal species, including endangered ones, acquired a UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1987.
A raging fire has been sweeping across Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain and one of the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystems for the last five days. All efforts to bring the flames under control are hampered by dry grass and strong winds. With vast areas of forest and low reduced to ashes, the unstoppable fire is threatening to ravage a diverse ecosystem.
With a summit of 5,895 meters, or 19,341 feet, with the highest free-standing volcanic mass in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro attracts thousands of climbers every year. The mountain’s snow-capped peaks and the surrounding national park with endemic plants and dozens of animal species, including endangered ones acquired a UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1987.
In recent years, it was reported that the mountain and the surrounding ecosystem faced environmental degradation including water and air pollution, intrusion on the park’s perimeters, illegal logging, and poaching. The mountain’s glaciers and icecaps also started to melt due to global warming.
