▁and ▁protect ▁important ▁wet lands ▁because ▁of ▁their ▁importance ▁to ▁habit ats ▁and ▁numerous ▁species . ▁▁ ▁The ▁region ▁has ▁a ▁varied ▁yet ▁verd ant ▁climate ▁thanks ▁to ▁its ▁diverse , ▁complex ▁top ography . ▁Gener ally , ▁the ▁coast ▁is ▁subt rop ical ▁with ▁in land ▁regions ▁becoming ▁progress ively ▁cool er ▁in ▁winter , ▁but ▁hot ter ▁in ▁summer ▁( except ▁on ▁the ▁Esc arp ment ). ▁Dur ban ▁on ▁the ▁coast ▁has ▁an ▁average ▁annual ▁ra inf all ▁of ▁ 1 0 1 0   mm . ▁The ▁average ▁m idd ay ▁temperature ▁during ▁summer ▁( J anu ary ▁- ▁March ) ▁is ▁ 2 8   ° C , ▁with ▁the ▁minimum ▁temper atures ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁morning ▁aver aging ▁ 2 1   ° C . ▁In ▁winter ▁( J une ▁– ▁August ) ▁the ▁average ▁maximum ▁temperature ▁is ▁ 2 3   ° C , ▁and ▁the ▁minimum ▁is ▁ 1 1   ° C . ▁The ▁summer ▁temper atures ▁in ▁Piet erm ar itz burg ▁are ▁similar ▁to ▁those ▁in ▁Dur ban , ▁but ▁it ▁is ▁consider ably ▁cool er ▁in ▁winter . ▁The ▁temperature ▁in ▁Lad ys m ith , ▁further ▁in land , ▁in ▁the ▁T ug ela ▁River ▁Valley , ▁reaches ▁ 3 0   ° C ▁in ▁the ▁summer , ▁but ▁may ▁drop ▁below ▁free zing ▁point ▁on ▁winter ▁even ings . ▁The ▁D rak ens berg ▁can ▁experience ▁heavy ▁winter ▁snow , ▁with ▁light ▁snow ▁occasionally ▁experienced ▁on ▁the ▁highest ▁pe