Perito Moreno glacier's retreat now visible from space, record loss in 2025

The Perito Moreno glacier, long considered an exception among Patagonian glaciers for its stability, is now experiencing a clear retreat visible in satellite images. A Sentinel-2 image from June 30 shows the glacier's front has receded significantly compared to its 2016 position Source: Infobae. A study published in Progress in Physical Geography, based on nearly 30 years of satellite data, found that in 2025 the glacier retreated about 385 meters, the largest annual retreat since 1997 Source: Clarin, Infobae. Between 1997 and 2023, the glacier lost approximately 3 square kilometers of surface area, about 1% of its original size Source: Infobae.

Evidence of change

• The 385-meter retreat in 2025 is the highest in the 1997–2025 record Source: Infobae.
• Since 2019, the front has retreated more than 800 meters Source: Clarin.
• Most of the recent ice loss has been concentrated in the past few years, indicating acceleration Source: Infobae.

Causes

Scientists link the retreat to the loss of a natural barrier that previously stabilized the glacier, combined with the effects of global warming Source: Clarin. Rodrigo Abarca del Río, co-author of the study from the University of Concepción, noted that "more than an isolated event, this could represent a transition in the behavior of one of the most emblematic glaciers in Patagonia" Source: Infobae. The glacier's stability, which made it a studied symbol of Patagonia, appears to have ended Source: Infobae.