The 20,000-year-old glaciers in the Cilo Mountains of Hakkari, southeastern Türkiye, which rise to 4,135 meters (13,565 feet) above sea level, are losing their area yearly due to global warming.
Professor Faruk Alaeddinoğlu from Van Yüzüncü Yıl University (YYÜ) emphasized that the glacier region should be completely closed off to visitors, explaining: “We have observed a 55% loss in the glaciers’ area over the last 30 years. The ice layers, which used to be 200 meters deep, have now fallen below 50 meters. These glaciers are a heritage, natural wonders that have witnessed some of the oldest remnants of the Anatolian geography. We must protect these wonders.”
In the Cilo Mountains, glaciers are melting and losing their area due to global warming, which is concerning local people. Declared a national park by presidential decree in 2020, the mountains are visited each year by hundreds of nature enthusiasts and mountaineers from various cities across Türkiye.
Alaeddinoğlu said the glaciers have experienced significant area loss, and the vertical ice layers that were once 100-200 meters deep have now fallen below 50 meters. He suggested that, like in some countries, the glaciers should be covered with a protective layer to ensure their preservation.
He further explained: “The global temperature has risen above 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The temperature increase in the equator differs from that in polar regions. In some places, the temperature might rise by 0.5 degrees Celsius, while near the poles it could increase by 7-8 degrees Celsius. The temperature difference is much higher in the Cilo Mountains at 4,135 meters compared to lower areas in the country. As a result, melting occurs much more rapidly.”
Alaeddinoğlu continued: “In the last 30 years, the glaciers have lost 55% of their area. Ice layers that were once 200 meters deep have now fallen below 50 meters. Even this 50-meter depth no longer represents a solid glacier mass. Significant melting has occurred inside the glaciers, causing cracks and the formation of channels and tunnels. The remaining glaciers have been largely damaged and degraded. If these glaciers are not preserved, they may disappear completely in the next 20 years.”
He added: “These glaciers are a heritage, a natural wonder that has witnessed some of the oldest remnants of Anatolian geography. We must protect them.”
Alaeddinoğlu pointed out that while the glacier region in the Cilo Mountains has been declared a national park, further protective measures are necessary. He noted: “The area has become very active with human visitors. People are walking on the glaciers, which is risky. This area should be entirely closed off to human activity, and people should not be allowed there. Visitors should only photograph the glaciers from a distance.
“There are examples of such measures around the world. This is a heritage, and we must preserve the glaciers for future generations. There are ways to cover the surface of the glaciers, and this has been done in other parts of the world. Why not here? This is truly a natural wonder and a piece of history that must be preserved. We don’t want future generations to only read about these glaciers in books but also see them visually.”