Incredibly rare photos show lion, giraffe, and elephant caught in the snow in South Africa

South Africa is entering its spring season but was hit with a cold spell last Friday. Amidst the snow white backdrop, photographers captured incredible pictures of lions, giraffes, and elephants.

The plunging temperatures are not rare for the night atmosphere in the arid savannah. However, the sight of the exotic animals walking through the snow is uncommon.

According to the Daily Mail, four states endured the snow last weekend. The Easter Cape was hit with the largest amount.

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Some roads were shut down and residents were advised to stay inside. But some took to the wintry conditions outside to shoot the remarkable scenes.

Authorities closed the Lottsberg Pass which provides access through Cradock and Graaff Reinet on Saturday.

The snow was also found on the Swartberg mountains in the Western Cape, the Winterberg and the Tsitsikamma mountains in the Eastern Cape, and Sneeuberg, known as the "snow mountain."

Kitty Viljoen took beautiful shots of elephants walking on the snow in Sneeuberg at the Asantansana Game Farm outside Graaf Reinet She also photographed giraffes in the Karoo.

Some antelope treading the snow near the Lootsberg Pass on the Glen Harry Game reserve was pictured too.

Although temperatures are expected to remain at or below the level of freezing, dry weather has returned to the area.

Internet users found the scenes of the animals quite exceptional. Some were worried, however, that they were not accustomed to the low temperatures.

They would be happy to know that the animals regularly have to adapt to extremely cold weather in the night.

Furthermore, the creatures and in particular the elephants, go out of their way to keep each other safe.

This happened back in January 2017 when a small elephant, just a baby, attempted to protect its mother as the animals walked through a safari park.

Tourists filmed the rather hilarious scene as they drove backwards away from the baby elephants, its mother, and two other adults.

The adorable creature stomped around as it swang its trunk and flared its ears hoping to keep the amused tourists away from its mother.

Source: YouTube

But not all baby elephants are as defensive. In August, another newborn elephant was more about sharing love.

Source: YouTube

A female tourist who visited the Chai Lai Orchid sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand was showered with hugs and kisses from the sweet girl.

The elephant, named Suki, kept the tourist giggling as she gently nudged her around at the eco-lodge. Suki was born in July 2018 to Mae Noi and Som Chai. She has one older sister, Chai Lai.