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Almost a week after the first egg, our female olm laid two more. This time round there was no drama as she did so in a quiet place under a rock. Even more than these dragon-like creatures amaze children when they first see them, this rare event surprised and pleased biologists Sašo Weldt and Primož Gnezda, who admitted that they were jumping for joy around the cave.

GLOBAL MEDIA STAR

News about the extraordinary occurrence and potential underground offspring has meanwhile spread around the world. New York Times and New York Times Science published the news about the expecting “mother” olm, which has become a media star. Even more importantly, the event brought the world’s attention to these rare and secretive creatures. With their unusual looks, they have been exciting people's imagination for centuries, and it was once believed that they were baby dragons which the high tide brought to the surface. We still do not know much about these mysterious cave-dwelling animals, so we are often surprised about their behaviour.

…. …FOUR, FIVE… SIXTY?

We are hoping that our female olm is not yet done with its surprises as it is currently in a 20-day period when it can lay up to 60 eggs. The biologists have already ascertained that the olm is protecting its potential brood and are monitoring it vigilantly. But it is too early to make any definitive statements, mainly due to this olm's seemingly good sense of humour and drama. As Sašo Weldt told New York Times: “We are hoping that in a couple of months we can state that we have baby dragons.”

Postojna Cave is committed to permanently create the best conditions in the world's most biodiverse cave.

 

Olm Diary