The ice cap on Uganda's highest peak has split because of global warming, Uganda's Wildlife Authority (UWA) says.

乌干达野生动物保护局称，因为全球变暖，其国内最高峰的冰盖已经破裂。

Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains in 1987 on the left and in 2005 on the right

The glacier¹（冰河，冰川） is located at an altitude of 5,109m (16,763ft) in the Rwenzori mountain range, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The authorities say a crevasse²（裂缝，破口） has blocked access to the Margherita summit - the third-highest peak in Africa, and a popular destination with climbers.

Scientists say glaciers³ in the Rwenzori range could disappear within 20 years.

UWA officials said a team had been sent to the mountain to assess the extent of damage on the route to Margherita.

According to researchers, the ice cap covered 6 sq km (2 sq miles) 50 years ago. It is now less than 1 sq km.

The mountain range, which is one of the few places near the equator（赤道） to have glaciers, was declared a Unesco（联合国教科文组织） World Heritage site in 1994.