Those visiting frozen swamps in North Carolina a few days ago would have seen a very strange sight - alligator snouts poking out of the icy ponds, with their bodies frozen below.

Although the creatures were as still as if they were dead, experts have assured the public that this is simply how alligators survive in unexpectedly cold weather.

A "bomb cyclone" hit the East Coast of the US last week, dumping snow as far south as Florida, and causing usually relatively warm and humid swamps to face icy temperatures.

Many marveled at the sight of alligators facing the ice at North Carolina’s Shallotte River Swamp Park.

The park described the conditions as a "freeze like no other" and said it allowed them to show their followers how adaptable the alligators were to the unusually cold climate.