Why has the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf largely disappeared since observations began in the 1950s?

The Ward Hunt Ice Shelf, located on Canada’s Ellesmere Island, has virtually disappeared since observations began in the 1950s because it is breaking into pieces faster than new ice can be formed.1

As the ice shelf retreats, it continues to calve into ice islands and icebergs. These ice islands, which were once a primary source of such formations in the Arctic Ocean, are released into the Beaufort Gyre before eventually exiting the Arctic Ocean. This ongoing process of calving and disintegration has led to the shelf's near-total loss over the last several decades.1