The report behind the images of lions and giraffes in snow describes a storm on September 20–21, 2024. It was published by The Daily Galaxy on October 1, 2024, and should not be confused with earlier snow photographs from Aquila Game Reserve or South Africa’s separate severe snowfall warning in August 2026.
What happened in the September 2024 report?
The Daily Galaxy described heavy snowfall in South Africa on September 20–21, 2024, and used the striking image of lions and giraffes in snow to frame its story. Its headline called the storm “exceptional,” which is the publisher’s characterization, not an official classification. The Daily Galaxy’s October 1, 2024 report is the source for the date and details.
The article attributed snowfall of up to two metres above 1,700 metres and a Johannesburg temperature of 6°C on September 21 to the event. Those figures are secondary-source claims: the original South African Weather Service bulletin and an official station record were not independently confirmed here. The same article reported fatalities and road pile-ups, but those claims likewise should not be treated as verified incident totals without official records. The Daily Galaxy report
Are the snowy lion and giraffe images from Aquila Game Reserve?
Snowy wildlife at Aquila is documented in a separate, earlier report. News24 published photographs and coverage from Aquila Game Reserve in the Western Cape on July 2, 2018. The report said the reserve described that snowfall as its first in ten years. News24’s July 2, 2018 report
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That 2018 coverage establishes that lions and giraffes have been photographed amid snow at Aquila; it does not establish that images associated with the September 2024 story were taken there. The event date, named location and original image source matter when identifying wildlife photographs.
What about Aquila’s July 2024 snowfall?
Aquila’s indexed page describes another snowfall at the reserve on July 8, 2024, saying it was light and melted within hours. The page could not be retrieved directly, so this description is attributable only to the reserve’s indexed search-result text. Available information does not establish whether that July event and the September 20–21 report were connected. Aquila’s indexed July 8, 2024 page
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Did the snow harm the animals?
Photographs show animals in snowy surroundings, but they do not establish how the animals fared. The material available for these reports provides no verified wildlife injury, mortality or population figures for the September 2024 event. It is therefore not possible to conclude from the images alone that the snow harmed the animals—or that they were unaffected.
How to distinguish the 2018, 2024 and 2026 events
| Event | What the source establishes | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| July 2, 2018, Aquila Game Reserve | News24 reported snowy scenes with lions and giraffes at Aquila in the Western Cape; the reserve described it as its first snowfall in ten years. News24 | It does not identify the location or date of images used in the September 2024 story. |
| July 8, 2024, Aquila Game Reserve | Aquila’s indexed page describes light snow that melted within hours. Aquila’s indexed page | The available information does not connect this snowfall to the September event. |
| September 20–21, 2024, South Africa | The Daily Galaxy published an account on October 1, 2024, including snow-depth, temperature and casualty claims. The Daily Galaxy | The numerical and casualty claims were not independently confirmed against original weather or emergency records, and the report does not by itself establish that its wildlife images were taken at Aquila. |
| August 2026, South Africa | The government reported an Orange Level 6 warning for disruptive snow, hazardous roads and affected routes in several provinces on August 10, 2026. South African Government warning | This is a separate, later event—not the snowfall described in the September 2024 report. |
What should travellers do during a snow warning?
For the separate August 2026 event, the South African Government advised people to follow official weather and road updates, avoid closed roads, and avoid unnecessary travel into affected areas. CoGTA specifically warned against snow-chasing because conditions can deteriorate and roads may become hazardous or impassable. Government weather and road warning · CoGTA safety statement
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These instructions concern the 2026 warning, not evidence about the 2024 storm or its effects on wildlife. For any future snowfall, use current official alerts rather than relying on old articles or viral photographs.
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