The rugged, windswept, and surreally beautiful region of Patagonia is one of the last pristine landscapes on earth. As such, it is a tremendous place for a trek or rafting adventure.
One of the most stunning sights in Patagonia is the glaciers. There are three major glaciers in Argentina’s Parque Nacional los Glaciares, and three more in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in Chile’s Parque Nacional Torres del Paine.
Today, the glaciers seem to be in danger. Not only are many of them shrinking at an increasingly fast rate, they are being mined for ice by enterprising thieves.
In early February, a group of individuals allegedly extracted ice from the Jorge Montt Glacier, loaded the ice into a refrigerated truck, and headed towards Santiago. The plan was to sell designer ice cubes to trendy bars and restaurants in the city. Authorities suspect the thieves might have gotten 3 million pesos for their stolen cargo.
The truck’s driver was detained and will likely be charged with theft and violation of the National Monuments Act.
This bizarre incident should serve as a reminder that the impact of modern society on the natural world is growing. Even Patagonia, once one of the most inaccessible places in the world, is now feeling pressure from human activities.